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Next stop innovation: Subway stations opening and spatial agglomeration of high-tech enterprises

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  • Shen, Meng
  • Li, Hongfu
  • Ma, Liyuan
  • Wu, Jie

Abstract

The establishment and improvement of public transport systems, particularly subways, are reshaping the spatial distribution of high-tech enterprises in cities. We employed a time-varying difference-in-differences method to investigate the agglomeration of high-tech enterprises in the vicinity of 363 Beijing subway stations opened between 2000 and 2022. Our findings reveal that the opening of the subway stations resulted in a significant increase in the number of high-tech enterprises in the surrounding areas. The construction of subway lines effectively increased accessibility to the outer city and significantly enhanced innovative activities in the peripheral areas, while having no significant impact on the inner city. Subway stations connected to the original innovation center had a more pronounced effect on innovation compared to other stations.

Suggested Citation

  • Shen, Meng & Li, Hongfu & Ma, Liyuan & Wu, Jie, 2025. "Next stop innovation: Subway stations opening and spatial agglomeration of high-tech enterprises," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 94(PB).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:chieco:v:94:y:2025:i:pb:s1043951x25002433
    DOI: 10.1016/j.chieco.2025.102585
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