Cooperative Impact of the Digital Sector, Eco-Friendly Policies, and Sophisticated Economic Development: A Study Drawing from China’s Practices

Xiaomei Li, Huchuan Deng, Xuanrui Yu and Yang Yu ()
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Xiaomei Li: College of Marxism, Chongqing Jiaotong University, 66 Xuefu Road Nan’an District, Chongqing 400074, China
Huchuan Deng: College of Marxism, Southwest University, 2 Tiansheng Road Beibei District, Chongqing 400715, China
Xuanrui Yu: School of Civil Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing Shapingba District, Chongqing 401331, China
Yang Yu: Centre for Infrastructural Engineering and Safety, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 23, 1-26

Abstract: Amid the rapidly changing digital environment and the growing flow of information, the digital economy has become a significant driving force behind economic progress. At the same time, governments worldwide are increasingly prioritizing environmental protection and green development, making the challenge of harmonizing economic growth with environmental protection to achieve high-quality development, a critical issue. This study, using data from 285 prefecture-level cities in China, places the digital economy, environmental regulations, and high-quality economic development in the same framework to explore their interconnections. Furthermore, machine learning and the SHAP (Shapley Additive Explanations) model were employed to analyze the complex nonlinear effects and interactions between these factors, clarifying the significance of various parameters. The findings reveal significant regional differences in high-quality economic growth, digital industrialization, industrial digitization, digital governance, data valorization, and environmental regulations across China, with generally low overall levels. Digital governance, industrial digitization, and digital industrialization all contribute to high-quality economic development, with digital industrialization having the most significant impact. However, challenges such as data privacy concerns and inadequate governance can hinder the positive effects of data valorization on high-quality economic progress.

Keywords: digital economy; green regulations; high-quality economic development; interaction mechanism: SHAP model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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