摘要：作为数字经济孵化出的产业组织新形态，虚拟集聚能否成为城市空间维度绿色发展的新引擎值得关注。本文基于2013—2020年中国279个城市的面板数据，利用区位熵和地理距离外溢衰减指数测度虚拟集聚水平，并系统考察了虚拟集聚在城市层面的环境效应。研究表明：虚拟集聚对城市绿色发展的影响呈现先抑制后促进的U型关系，且这一结论在一系列检验后依然稳健；技术创新、产业结构优化和市场整合是其影响路径。进一步分析发现：虚拟集聚对东部、中部地区以及城市群中城市绿色发展的U型影响更加显著；此外，虚拟集聚有效降低了省界城市的环境污染，成为破除边界污染的突破口。因此本文建议加快核心数字技术创新，着力推动产业集群数字化转型；利用数字技术促进产业结构优化，破除市场一体化壁垒；因地制宜布局数字基础设施，加强网络基础设施建设，培育绿色发展新动能。
Can Virtual Agglomeration Promote Urban Green Development？
Cheng Fang, Wang Xiyu
Abstract: As a new form of industrial organization incubated by the digital economy, it is worth paying attention to whether virtual agglomeration can become a new engine for green development in urban spatial dimensions. This article is based on panel data from 279 cities in China from 2013 to 2020, using location entropy method and geographic distance spillover attenuation index to measure the level of virtual agglomeration, and systematically examines the environmental effects of virtual agglomeration at the urban level. Research shows that the impact of virtual agglomeration on urban green development exhibits a U-shaped relationship of first inhibition and then promotion, and this conclusion remains robust after a series of tests. Technological innovation, industrial structure optimization, and market integration are its influencing paths. Further analysis reveals that virtual agglomeration has a stronger promoting effect on the green development of cities in the eastern and central regions, as well as urban agglomerations. In addition, virtual agglomeration effectively reduces environmental pollution in provincial boundary cities, becoming a breakthrough point in breaking boundary pollution. Therefore, this article suggests accelerating core digital technology innovation and focusing on promoting the digital transformation of industrial clusters, and utilizing digital technology to promote industrial structure optimization and break down barriers to market integration. At the same time, we also recommend that digital infrastructure be deployed according to local conditions, strengthen network infrastructure, and foster new momentum for green development.
Keywords: Virtual Agglomeration; Green Total Factor Productivity; Boundary Pollution; East-West Computing Resource Transfer
