How Can the Digital Economy Promote the Integration of Rural Industries—Taking China as an Example

Abstract

The rapid development of China’s digital economy has promoted the digital transformation of Chinese society and become a new driving force for China’s social development. Furthermore, increasing farmers’ income is the central task of China’s “three rural issues” project, and the integrated development of primary, secondary, and tertiary rural industries is an important way to revitalize rural industries and broaden farmers’ income channels, so it is very important to promote the integrated development of rural industries. In the context of the rapid development of China’s digital economy, it is of great significance to study how the digital economy promotes the integration of rural industries. Therefore, this study analyzed how China’s digital economy promotes the integration of rural industries by using the panel data and regression models of 30 provinces (municipalities and districts) in China from 2011 to 2021. The results show that (1) there is a significant positive relationship between the development level of the digital economy and the level of rural–industrial integration and that the development of the digital economy promotes the process of rural–industrial integration; (2) intermediary effect analysis shows that as the digital economy promotes rural–industrial integration, scientific and technological innovation levels and rural human capital are important intermediary channels; and (3) spatial analysis shows that the development of the digital economy can not only promote the integration of rural industries in the province but also have a positive spatial spillover effect on neighboring provinces. Therefore, it is necessary to create a good atmosphere for the development of the digital economy, constantly promote the development of the digital economy, pay attention to scientific and technological innovation and rural talent training, and promote the integration and coordinated development of the digital economy and rural industries between regions in order to improve the level of rural–industrial integration and contribute to the rural revitalization strategy.