Research on the Impact of Digital Economy Development on the Urban-Rural Income Gap in Guangxi

Abstract

Common prosperity is an essential requirement of socialism, and narrowing the urban-rural income gap is integral to achieving it. Against the backdrop of rural revitalization, imbalanced regional development and significant income disparities between urban and rural areas remain major obstacles to high-quality economic growth in Guangxi, making the reduction of this gap an urgent priority. In recent years, the digital economy has emerged as a new driving force for China's economic development while profoundly reshaping industrial structures and income distribution patterns, thereby creating opportunities to narrow the urban-rural income divide. Consequently, investigating the impact of the digital economy on this gap has become a pressing and practical issue. This paper examines and analyzes the current state of the digital economy and urban-rural income disparities across Guangxi's cities from 2017 to 2022. It proposes measures such as improving digital infrastructure construction and accelerating urbanization; promoting digital industry development and enhancing digital rural initiatives; advancing industrial digital transformation to facilitate modern agricultural and rural transitions; and strengthening inclusive financial systems while vigorously developing rural digital finance. These recommendations aim to contribute to high-quality economic development and coordinated urban-rural planning in Guangxi.