Research on the Time-Space Impact Paths of Economic Convergence-Empirical Evidence from 30 Provinces in China

Abstract

By constructing a geographical distance matrix and a technological distance matrix, a double-fixed spatial Durbin model empirical test was conducted using panel data of 30 provinces during 2002-2020 to explore the factors influencing the convergence of inter-provincial economic growth in China. The outcomes reveal that the economic discrepancy of neighboring provinces has a pragmatic effect on the economic discrepancy of a single province. Also, the construction level of infrastructure, technology absorption capacity, and the level of marketisation have adverse spillover effects in space while the proportion of tertiary industry and R&D expenditure in the previous period in neighbouring provinces have positive spillover effects. Characteristic to that, the government should enhance the interaction mechanism of "industry-university-research", further cross-sectional industrial division and cooperation, and boost marketisation reforms to aggrandize the realization of "common prosperity" and high-quality economic development in China.