Search

Smart cities are a product of the integration of the new urbanization process and information technology development in China, while inclusive green growth is an important strategic concept for economic development transformation. Whether the smart city pilot policy can promote inclusive green growth in China still needs to be tested. Based on panel data from 210 prefecture level and above cities from 2009 to 2020, this study used the multi-period difference-in-differences method to learn the impact of the smart city pilot policy on inclusive green growth in China, followed by a series of robustness tests. In addition, the sub-system path, location heterogeneity, and spatial spillover effects of policy effects were also examined. The results showed that: (J) The construction of smart cities would have a significant positive impact on inclusive green growth, and the policy effects would gradually increase over time. The construction of smart cities had a significant promoting effect on both economic growth and green growth, but the impact on inclusive growth was not significant. © There was significant regional heterogeneity in the impact of smart city construction on inclusive green growth. There was a significant positive impact in the eastern and western regions, a significant negative impact in the northeast region, and an insignificant impact in the central region. © The policy effects of smart city construction had significant spatial spillover characteristics. Smart city construction could significantly promote economic growth and green growth in adjacent non-pilot areas but could only significantly promote economic growth in adjacent pilot areas. Therefore, in the critical period of China's economic transformation and upgrading, in order to enhance the promotion of the pilot policy on inclusive green growth, on the one hand, the construction of smart cities should focus on promoting inclusive growth and formulating reasonable pilot goals according to local conditions based on the resource endowment of each region. On the other hand, it is necessary to promote the exchange of piloting experience and innovation resources among regions and arrange the investment level of innovation resources reasonably to avoid the occurrence of ' depression effect' and ' siphon effect.' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]