Anti-corruption, digital economy policy, and new quality productivity: Empirical analysis based on spatial and moderating effects

To explore how digital economy policies moderate the impact of anti-corruption on new quality productivity in local and neighboring regions, this study analyzes how digital economy policies and anti-corruption affect the new quality productivity. Using panel data from 30 provinces (municipalities, districts) in China from 2011 to 2016, empirical analysis was conducted applying spatial spillover effect and moderating effect models. The results show that: (1) Anti-corruption had a negative impact on local new quality productivity and a negative spatial spillover effect on those in neighboring regions with adjacent administrative and geographical distances; (2) Digital economy policies negatively moderated the impact of anti-corruption on new quality productivity, as did policies related to digital breakthrough and application-oriented innovations; (3) Digital economy policies intensified the impact of anti-corruption on new quality productivity in neighboring regions with geographical, economic, and combined economic-geographical distances. Therefore, a differentiated approach should be implemented in promoting anti-corruption, the integration between the digital economy and AC should be accelerated, and the implementation of digital economy policies should be expedited.