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Does Digital Infrastructure Improve Urban Economic Resilience? Evidence from the Yangtze River Economic Belt in China

Author

Listed:
  • Jifeng Zhang

    (School of Business, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang 222005, China)

  • Zirui Yang

    (School of Business, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang 222005, China)

  • Bing He

    (School of Business, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang 222005, China)

Abstract

Under the pressure exerted by COVID-19 and geopolitical conflicts, establishing how to enhance urban economic resilience and cope with external risks has become the focus of many studies. This study considers the “Broadband China” program as a quasi-natural experiment and uses panel data from 106 Chinese cities between 2011 and 2020 to explore the influence of digital infrastructure on urban economic resilience through a difference-in-differences (DID) approach. The results are as follows: (1) Digital infrastructure improves urban economic resilience, and the influence differs by time and region. (2) Economic vitality, industrial structure upgrading, and industrial structure rationalization either moderate or mediate the impact of the digital infrastructure on economic resilience. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of how digital infrastructure and economic resilience are related.

Suggested Citation

  • Jifeng Zhang & Zirui Yang & Bing He, 2023. "Does Digital Infrastructure Improve Urban Economic Resilience? Evidence from the Yangtze River Economic Belt in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-21, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:19:p:14289-:d:1249002
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    3. Liu, Shuwen & Li, Youli & Shen, Zhihan & Yu, Jinyi & Xu, Zhaoyi, 2024. "The impact of population agglomeration on economic resilience: Evidence from 280 cities in China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
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    8. Wang, Yi & Wang, Xinyao & Zhou, Huijie & Chen, Xiaohan & Mao, Xiaoyan, 2025. "Industrial digitalization and urban-rural income gap: An empirical analysis based on data from 30 provinces in China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 2023-2042.
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    13. Yujin Lu & Xingmeng Xu & Gaoru Zhu & Yuting Peng & Yi Li & Xueyan Zhao, 2024. "Land Space and High-Speed Transportation Coordinated Development Evaluation in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Urban Agglomeration of China," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-27, October.
    14. Lianying Fu & Xu Han & Jizong Peng, 2025. "The impact of innovation-driven policies on urban resilience," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-16, December.
    15. Xiaoting Lv & Ziang Wu & Yuan Sui, 2025. "RETRACTED ARTICLE: Understanding the Dynamics of Urban Shrinkage and the Impact on Innovation in China: A Comprehensive Analysis," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 16(2), pages 6281-6314, June.
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