Logistics Industry Agglomeration Affects New-Type Urbanization—An Empirical Test Based on Spatial Panel Models

The rapid development of the logistics industry and its cooperation with other production factors have an impact on the promotion of new-type urbanization (NTU), a more sustainable and inclusive model of urban growth. This article analyzes in-depth the impact mechanism of logistics industry agglomeration, a new way to promote innovation and improve industrial efficiency, on NTU from various dimensions, including population, economy, society, space, ecology, and urban-rural coordination. Using panel data from 31 provinces in China between 2002 and 2021, the level of NTU was calculated using the entropy weight method, and a spatial econometric model was employed to examine the impact of logistics industry agglomeration on NTU and its spatial spillover effects. The research findings are as follows. The study reveals a spatial correlation between logistics industry agglomeration and NTU across Chinese regions. Logistics industry agglomeration significantly enhances NTU levels and generates spatial spillover effects, facilitating urban development in surrounding areas. The influence of regional logistics industry agglomeration on NTU demonstrates notable spatial heterogeneity, with the central region exerting a greater impact than the eastern and western regions. It can help in the understanding of regional differences and help policy makers optimize resource allocation. The impact of logistics industry agglomeration on NTU is nonlinear, primarily characterized by a substantial improvement in NTU at the medium and low levels due to logistics industry agglomeration. It helps identify regional differences and supports personalized decision making. The level of human capital, the degree of government intervention, the degree of marketization, the level of technological industrialization, the ratio of elderly dependency, and the level of innovation have direct effects and spillover effects on NTU. This paper elaborates on the mechanism of logistics industry agglomeration on NTU in China and proposes targeted proposals for promoting the development of NTU, which is highly important for promoting urbanization in other regions of the world from the perspective of industry.