The Opening of High-Speed Rail and Economic Growth: The Moderating Role of Government Efficiency and Innovation Environment

This paper selects the panel data of 297 cities in China from 2003 to 2017 and analyzes the effects of government efficiency and innovation environment on the relationship between high-speed rail opening and economic growth from the perspective of government competition pressure and information flow by using the approach of difference-in-differences (DID). The findings are as follows: first, the opening of high-speed rail has a significant promoting effect on regional economic growth; second, government efficiency has negative impact on the relationship between high-speed rail development and economic growth, while the innovation environment has positive impact on this relationship; third, the moderating effects of government efficiency and innovation environment exhibit regional heterogeneity. This paper provides a new perspective from the perspectives of government competition pressure and information flow for understanding the impact of high-speed rail on the economy, offering insights for promoting the coordinated and sustainable development of the Chinese economy.