{"paper_id":"4450e211-3a65-4ba2-b349-abe4afa44cf2","body_text":"The Impact of Digital-real Integration on Sustainable Development: Evidence from 288 Chinese Cities | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article The Impact of Digital-real Integration on Sustainable Development: Evidence from 288 Chinese Cities Lijuan Yin, Rui Yang, Bingzhi Li This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8154500/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 9 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The deep integration of the digital and real economies, termed \"digital-real integration\" herein, constitutes a critical pathway for advancing sustainable development. This study utilizes a sample of 288 Chinese cities to measure the development levels of both sectors using the entropy method. Through the application of a two-way fixed effects model, a moderation model, and a spatial Durbin model (SDM), the mechanisms through which digital-real integration influences sustainable development are systematically examined. The empirical results demonstrate that: (1) digital-real integration acts as a significant driver of sustainable development; (2) technological innovation and human capital function as positive moderators, amplifying this effect; (3) significant positive spatial spillover effects are observed, whereby digital-real integration enhances sustainable development in neighboring regions; and (4) the effects exhibit heterogeneity contingent upon urban location, resource endowment, and digital infrastructure levels. These findings provide a theoretical foundation and actionable policy implications for leveraging digital-real integration to achieve sustainable development goals. Social science/Development studies Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental social sciences Social science/Science technology and society digital-real integration Sustainable Development Urban Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviews received at journal 30 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 10 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 04 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 24 Mar, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 06 Mar, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 05 Mar, 2026 Editor invited by journal 13 Dec, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 11 Dec, 2025 First submitted to journal 26 Nov, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {\"props\":{\"pageProps\":{\"initialData\":{\"identity\":\"rs-8154500\",\"acceptedTermsAndConditions\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":false,\"archivedVersions\":[],\"articleType\":\"Article\",\"associatedPublications\":[],\"authors\":[{\"id\":603491044,\"identity\":\"1cbde897-84bd-4fa6-bfcb-d38f6cd9af13\",\"order_by\":0,\"name\":\"Lijuan Yin\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"\",\"institution\":\"Xinjiang Normal University\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Lijuan\",\"middleName\":\"\",\"lastName\":\"Yin\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":603491048,\"identity\":\"7bc5d66a-2d55-48ba-a828-ed18f55e6240\",\"order_by\":1,\"name\":\"Rui Yang\",\"email\":\"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA1UlEQVRIie3RvQrCMBDA8ZTAdTl0jRTSJxAiAcFFX6XBtd0dUwrxFRSKLyE4p5OLD1Bw0UWXLt2c/BjFpXETzH//cXccIT7fD9aPq/zU3h8cKLVuZLCixWgFVPZCk7gRUYcmQqBqgwfhuNkx1xEiSGBpWzdkyoe6QwRlpUclQw4s205KMpdj20EoUTppBHtNyXYREqt2XQRexGIilGHpxY0gU3mONlEGD+BGGFZFsNZWQmjkpBQOt8z2y+ut1ZbHBT3XzWLKO8nHSNfXvJFvhc/n8/1FT4I9QY0ueR+GAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\",\"orcid\":\"\",\"institution\":\"Xinjiang Normal University\",\"correspondingAuthor\":true,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Rui\",\"middleName\":\"\",\"lastName\":\"Yang\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":603491049,\"identity\":\"b00f4ed8-9966-44ad-acd3-79ac7f056dbd\",\"order_by\":2,\"name\":\"Bingzhi Li\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"\",\"institution\":\"Xinjiang Normal University\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Bingzhi\",\"middleName\":\"\",\"lastName\":\"Li\",\"suffix\":\"\"}],\"badges\":[],\"createdAt\":\"2025-11-19 11:08:28\",\"currentVersionCode\":1,\"declarations\":\"\",\"doi\":\"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8154500/v1\",\"doiUrl\":\"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8154500/v1\",\"draftVersion\":[],\"editorialEvents\":[],\"editorialNote\":\"\",\"failedWorkflow\":false,\"files\":[{\"id\":104501686,\"identity\":\"cb6b4977-d5d0-4bb9-b089-c865a69e0f42\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2026-03-12 13:56:54\",\"extension\":\"pdf\",\"order_by\":1,\"title\":\"\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"manuscript-pdf\",\"size\":679767,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"RevisedManuscript.pdf\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8154500/v1_covered_dc4c7b4e-5387-4e1e-8e21-370668b1b682.pdf\"}],\"financialInterests\":\"No competing interests reported.\",\"formattedTitle\":\"The Impact of Digital-real Integration on Sustainable Development: Evidence from 288 Chinese Cities \",\"fulltext\":[],\"fulltextSource\":\"\",\"fullText\":\"\",\"funders\":[],\"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow\":false,\"hasManuscriptDocX\":false,\"hasOptedInToPreprint\":true,\"hasPassedJournalQc\":\"\",\"hasAnyPriority\":false,\"hideJournal\":false,\"highlight\":\"\",\"institution\":\"\",\"isAcceptedByJournal\":false,\"isAuthorSuppliedPdf\":true,\"isDeskRejected\":\"\",\"isHiddenFromSearch\":false,\"isInQc\":false,\"isInWorkflow\":false,\"isPdf\":true,\"isPdfUpToDate\":true,\"isWithdrawnOrRetracted\":false,\"journal\":{\"display\":true,\"email\":\"info@researchsquare.com\",\"identity\":\"humanities-and-social-sciences-communications\",\"isNatureJournal\":false,\"hasQc\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":false,\"externalIdentity\":\"palcomms\",\"sideBox\":\"Learn more about [Humanities \\u0026 Social Sciences Communications](http://www.nature.com/palcomms/)\",\"snPcode\":\"41599\",\"submissionUrl\":\"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/41599/3\",\"title\":\"Humanities and Social Sciences Communications\",\"twitterHandle\":\"\",\"acdcEnabled\":true,\"dfaEnabled\":true,\"editorialSystem\":\"stoa\",\"reportingPortfolio\":\"Nature AJ\",\"inReviewEnabled\":true,\"inReviewRevisionsEnabled\":false},\"keywords\":\"digital-real integration, Sustainable Development, Urban\",\"lastPublishedDoi\":\"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8154500/v1\",\"lastPublishedDoiUrl\":\"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8154500/v1\",\"license\":{\"name\":\"CC BY 4.0\",\"url\":\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/\"},\"manuscriptAbstract\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eThe deep integration of the digital and real economies, termed \\\"digital-real integration\\\" herein, constitutes a critical pathway for advancing sustainable development. 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