IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i7p2797-d1617295.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Empowerment and Pathways of Digital Economy in Rural Revitalization: A Case Study of Low Urbanization Areas in China

Author

Listed:
  • Junxin Shen

    (Faculty of Management and Economics, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China)

  • Huizi Zhao

    (Faculty of Management and Economics, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China)

  • Fanghao Xiao

    (Marxist College, Xiamen Institute of Technology, Xiamen 361024, China)

Abstract

Synergistic development is a pivotal force in advancing regional modernization. China has effectively promoted rural revitalization through the collaborative integration of various digital factors, thereby narrowing the urban–rural development gap and laying a solid foundation for achieving sustainable development. This study examines factors driving rural revitalization through the analysis of 193 cases in less urbanized Chinese regions from 2018 to 2022 using panel-data qualitative comparative analysis. This study identifies digital infrastructure as the key to rural development, while the importance of industrial digitalization is increasingly recognized. We found two combinations of the digital economy that can promote rural revitalization: one that links digital infrastructure with digital industry, and the other that combines digital infrastructure with data elementization. Moreover, we also analyzed how regions with different innovation capabilities and economic foundations should develop differentiated strategies to achieve rural revitalization. This research provides a scientific basis for various regions to formulate rural revitalization strategies that are in line with their own characteristics, which will help achieve the goal of regional sustainable development.

Suggested Citation

  • Junxin Shen & Huizi Zhao & Fanghao Xiao, 2025. "Empowerment and Pathways of Digital Economy in Rural Revitalization: A Case Study of Low Urbanization Areas in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-26, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:7:p:2797-:d:1617295
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/7/2797/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/7/2797/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Khan, Nawab & Ray, Ram L. & Zhang, Shemei & Osabuohien, Evans & Ihtisham, Muhammad, 2022. "Influence of mobile phone and internet technology on income of rural farmers: Evidence from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    2. Shen, Zhiyang & Wang, Songkai & Boussemart, Jean-Philippe & Hao, Yu, 2022. "Digital transition and green growth in Chinese agriculture," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    3. Yi-feng Zhang & Min-xuan Ji & Xiu-zhi Zheng, 2023. "Digital Economy, Agricultural Technology Innovation, and Agricultural Green Total Factor Productivity," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(3), pages 21582440231, August.
    4. Lujun Lv & Danni Shi, 2023. "Innovative Development and Practice of Digital Rural Governance Model Based on Green Ecology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-20, February.
    5. Zhang, Yulai & Pi, Luxueting & Chen, Yican & Shi, Rui, 2024. "Energy transition policy and Chinese rural revitalization: The roles of industrial upgrading and digital economy," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 69(PA).
    6. Zhou, Di & Zha, Fangjing & Qiu, Wenyan & Zhang, Xiaoru, 2024. "Does digital literacy reduce the risk of returning to poverty? Evidence from China," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(6).
    7. Wang, Jing, 2023. "Digital inclusive finance and rural revitalization," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    8. Beynon, Malcolm J. & Jones, Paul & Pickernell, David, 2020. "Country-level entrepreneurial attitudes and activity through the years: A panel data analysis using fsQCA," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 443-455.
    9. Lisha Ye & Huiqin Yang, 2020. "From Digital Divide to Social Inclusion: A Tale of Mobile Platform Empowerment in Rural Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-16, March.
    10. Zepu Zhang & Chen Sun & Jing Wang, 2023. "How Can the Digital Economy Promote the Integration of Rural Industries—Taking China as an Example," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-21, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Danni Lu & Xinhuan Zhang & Degang Yang & Shubao Zhang, 2025. "What Affects Agricultural Green Total Factor Productivity in China? A Configurational Perspective Based on Dynamic Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-25, January.
    2. Hu, Yuanhong & Liu, Jing & Zhang, Shuyu & Liu, Yuxin & Xu, Haixin & Liu, Pengling, 2024. "New mechanisms for increasing agricultural total factor productivity: Analysis of the regional effects of the digital economy," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 766-785.
    3. Chandio, Abbas Ali & Ozdemir, Dicle & Gokmenoglu, Korhan K. & Usman, Muhammad & Jiang, Yuansheng, 2024. "Digital agriculture for sustainable development in China: The promise of computerization," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    4. Wei, Xiaobei & Yang, Zongpu & Yan, Yongjun & Sun, Jia, 2024. "Rural E-commerce, Digital finance, and urban–rural common prosperity: A Quasi-natural Experiment Based on China's Comprehensive Demonstration of E-commerce Entering Rural Areas Policy," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 69(PB).
    5. Irune Ruiz-Martínez & Javier Esparcia, 2020. "Internet Access in Rural Areas: Brake or Stimulus as Post-Covid-19 Opportunity?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-17, November.
    6. Andres Larco & Jorge Carrillo & Nelson Chicaiza & Cesar Yanez & Sergio Luján-Mora, 2021. "Moving beyond Limitations: Designing the Helpdys App for Children with Dyslexia in Rural Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-19, June.
    7. Lei Zhang & Lili Xu & Mingzi Gao & Mingdong Zhou, 2024. "Can Agricultural Credit Promote the Green Transformation of China’s Agriculture?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-14, December.
    8. Viet Ha Trinh Thi & Wenqi Zhou, 2024. "A Systematic Analysis of the Development of Agricultural Modernization and Its Effect on Crop Production in Northeastern China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-12, June.
    9. Yang, Changjin & Qi, Huarui & Jia, Lijun & Wang, Yanjiao & Huang, Dan, 2024. "Impact of digital technologies and financial development on green growth: Role of mineral resources, institutional quality, and human development in South Asia," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    10. Afees Noah & Oladipo David, 2025. "Does ICT Adoption Moderate the Impact of Entrepreneurship on Economic Growth in Africa?," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-23, March.
    11. Wei Yu & Huiqin Huang & Xinyan Kong & Keying Zhu, 2023. "Can Digital Inclusive Finance Improve the Financial Performance of SMEs?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-16, January.
    12. Qiong Liu & Cuiying Zhu, 2024. "Digital Rural Construction and the Welfare of Disadvantaged Children: Exploring the Roles of Government and NGOs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-17, December.
    13. Nan Li & Yanzhao Tang & Guangyu Xia & Hongqin Tang & He Li, 2024. "Institutional Environment and Productive Entrepreneurship," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-18, December.
    14. Gang Wang & Xiaomei Gao & Minggang Fu & Zihao Zhou & Kexin Song & Jie Li, 2024. "Sustainable Corn Stubble Management Is Site Specific: A Study in Northeastern China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-15, August.
    15. Linlin Fu & Jiajun Min & Cheng Luo & Xiaohong Mao & Ziqi Liu, 2024. "The Impact of Digitalization on Agricultural Green Development: Evidence from China’s Provinces," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-18, October.
    16. Wang, Jianying & Qi, Chengyu & Guo, Qing, 2024. "FinTech, industrial convergence, and farmers’ prosperity," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 67(PA).
    17. Beynon, Malcolm & Pickernell, David & Battisti, Martina & Jones, Paul, 2024. "A panel fsQCA investigation on European regional innovation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    18. Kaiwen Ji & Qiaoyun Hou & Yi Yu & Dan Pan, 2023. "Rural E-Commerce and Agricultural Carbon Emission Reduction: A Quasi-Natural Experiment from China’s Rural E-Commerce Demonstration County Program Based on 355 Cities in Ten Years," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-16, December.
    19. Yangjie Huang & Sihui Li & Xiyuan Xiang & Leilei Huang, 2024. "Analyzing the configuration of the National Innovation System for Innovation Capability: evidence from Global Innovation Index reports," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-13, December.
    20. Lingui Qin & Yan Zhang & Yige Wang & Xinning Pan & Zhe Xu, 2024. "Research on the Impact of Digital Green Finance on Agricultural Green Total Factor Productivity: Evidence from China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-23, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:7:p:2797-:d:1617295. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.