Data Elements, Spatial Spillovers, and Green New Quality Productive Forces: A Spatial Difference-in-Differences Approach from China

Data Elements, Spatial Spillovers, and Green New Quality Productive Forces: A Spatial Difference-in-Differences Approach from China | 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 Research Article Data Elements, Spatial Spillovers, and Green New Quality Productive Forces: A Spatial Difference-in-Differences Approach from China Jingdong Huang This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9399222/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract As the global economy transitions toward sustainable development, "Green New Quality Productive Forces" (GNQPF) have emerged as a critical strategic paradigm. Simultaneously, data elements have become transformative factors of production characterized by non-rivalry and near-zero marginal transmission costs. However, whether and how the marketization of data elements empowers GNQPF remains insufficiently explored. Utilizing the establishment of China's "National Big Data Comprehensive Experimental Zones" as a quasi-natural experiment, this study employs a Spatial Durbin Difference-in-Differences (SDM-DID) model to identify the causal and spatial effects of data elements on GNQPF based on a panel dataset of 280 cities from 2007 to 2024. The results robustly demonstrate that the marketization of data elements directly accelerates local GNQPF and generates powerful positive spatial spillovers to neighboring cities. Crucially, a spatial mediation analysis reveals that data elements act as an "informational solvent" to correct traditional Environmental Resource Misallocation (ERM), which serves as a vital transmission channel. Furthermore, heterogeneity analysis indicates a profound "Matthew Effect," where the empowerment is significantly stronger in eastern regions and cities with superior digital infrastructure. This study provides vital micro-theoretical mechanisms and novel methodological insights for policymakers aiming to leverage digital transitions to achieve regional green growth. Data Elements Green New Quality Productive Forces (GNQPF) Spatial Durbin Difference-in-Differences (SDM-DID) Environmental Resource Misallocation Spatial Spillovers Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted 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. 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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-9399222","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":630120280,"identity":"f8c9e723-0450-404f-b56f-a2ba0cca8e31","order_by":0,"name":"Jingdong Huang","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA2UlEQVRIie3RsQrCMBCA4YRCRDiN4xXBNxAiAdGlvkqKL6CLdFJBSEfXCn0IoeBcCDgVXbu6ODkoji466tS4CeafbvlIjiPE5frBuOfl4hrhYv0a7IgfazVNigHdxEzZEVEU4l7XEd0eQVj+rFS9jGr0hIFbeSFBp7usEDRRYzk5IPNNIxumZCz7eQXxUO1lMkNomsauDSQPd1WEYRg/gCESA2c7AmCIBI2iZYDZEaxp0ksKVP6KyWEqLHYZGX59nXKuODen8hIFnUry+aT1ad7It8Llcrn+oifMuUEVImg+wwAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Tibet University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jingdong","middleName":"","lastName":"Huang","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-04-13 05:54:30","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9399222/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9399222/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":109067867,"identity":"86a2021b-ed1f-4a41-90b5-54485441fff1","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-12 10:02:06","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":621934,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ssci5.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9399222/v1_covered_60ebe23f-b8dd-4588-922d-41eeffd7f2cd.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Data Elements, Spatial Spillovers, and Green New Quality Productive Forces: A Spatial Difference-in-Differences Approach from China","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Data Elements, Green New Quality Productive Forces (GNQPF), Spatial Durbin Difference-in-Differences (SDM-DID), Environmental Resource Misallocation, Spatial Spillovers","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9399222/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9399222/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eAs the global economy transitions toward sustainable development, \"Green New Quality Productive Forces\" (GNQPF) have emerged as a critical strategic paradigm. 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