Study on the impact of the high-speed rail network on industrial structure upgrading

Abstract

This paper explores the mechanism of the high-speed railway network for upgrading industrial structures. Based on social network analysis methods, this paper uses the sample data of 282 cities from 2011 to 2020 to measure the centrality of the sample cities in the high-speed railway network. The panel data model, mediation effect model, and spatial econometric model are used to explore the impact of high-speed railway networks on upgrading industrial structures. Finally, the following conclusions are drawn: (1) The development of China's high-speed railway network is unbalanced and insufficient, showing a pattern of higher development in the east and lower development in the West; (2) The high-speed railway network can significantly promote the upgrading of industrial structure, and this impact varies; (3) The high-speed railway network mainly affects the upgrading of the industrial structure by improving the concentration of innovation and capital factors, while the impact on the concentration of population factors is not very significant; (4) There are spatial spillover effects of the high-speed railway network on the upgrading of industrial structure, and the spillover effects of the railway network on neighboring areas are significantly higher than those on the local areas. Based on the above research conclusions, this paper proposes relevant policies to promote the development of urban high-speed railway networks, promote upgrading industrial structures, and achieve high-quality development of the region.