网络基础设施建设与城市创新--基于“宽带中国”试点政策的准自然实验

Network Infrastructure Construction and Urban Innovation:Evidence from a Quasi-Natural Experiment

网络基础设施是新时代中国数字经济发展和创新型国家建设的重要一环。基于“宽带中国”城市试点的准自然实验,利用2005-2018年中国282个地级市面板数据,采用渐进双重差分法实证检验网络基础设施建设对城市创新的影响。结果显示:(1)网络基础设施建设对城市创新水平具有显著的促进作用;(2)网络基础设施建设通过提升信息化水平、促进数字金融发展以及缓解劳动力错配三个渠道提高了城市创新水平;(3)进一步研究发现,这一促进作用主要提升了城市发明专利和实用新型专利的数量,并会随着城市创新水平的提高而增强,且在沿海地区、行政等级、财政自主权和市场化水平较高的城市更为显著。因此,应充分利用网络基础设施建设带来的信息化和数字金融优势,加快创新型国家建设和网络强国战略的实施,释放网络基础设施建设为城市带来的创新潜力。

Network infrastructure is an important part of China's digital economy development and innovative country construction in the new era.Based on the quasi-natural experiment of“Broadband China”city pilot,this paper uses the panel data of 282 cities in China from 2005 to 2018 to test the impact of network infrastructure construction on urban innovation by using the difference-in-differences method.The results show that:(1)Network infrastructure plays a significant role in promoting urban innovation;(2)Network infrastructure improves the level of urban innovation by enhancing the level of informatization,promoting the development of digital finance and alleviating labor mismatch;(3)Further research shows that the number of urban invention patents and utility model patents is mainly increased by this promoting effect,which is enhanced with the improvement of innovation level,especially in coastal areas and cities with higher administrative level,financial autonomy and marketization level.The study has important policy reference significance for China to accelerate the construction of an innovative country and the implementation of Internet power strategy.