Level Measurement, Evolutionary Trends and Regional Differences of Digital Transformation in China’s Provincial Areas

在全球数字化浪潮加速演进的背景下，中国省域数字化转型水平不断提升，但区域发展不均衡问题仍较为突出。本文基于数字基础设施、数字产业发展和数字化应用三个维度，构建了省域数字化转型水平测度体系，利用2011~2023年中国30省份的面板数据，系统分析了数字化转型的演变趋势与区域差异特征。研究发现，全国数字化转型水平整体呈现出“持续提升–局部回调–稳定发展”的阶段性特征，东部地区保持领先，中部、西部及东北地区存在不同程度的追赶现象。核密度分析显示省际差距从极化分化向梯度收敛演进，Dagum基尼系数分解结果表明，区域间差异仍是总体差异的主要来源，但内部差异及超变密度贡献逐渐上升。研究为理解区域数字化转型格局演变及制定差异化政策提供了实证支撑。In the context of the accelerating global digitalization trend, China’s provincial-level digital transformation has achieved notable progress, though significant regional disparities persist. This study establishes a multidimensional evaluation framework encompassing digital infrastructure, digital industry development, and digital application to assess the digital transformation levels across provinces. Drawing upon panel data from 30 provinces between 2011 and 2023, the research investigates both the evolutionary trajectories and spatial disparities of digitalization. Results indicate that the national digital transformation level followed a “continuous growth-short-term adjustment-steady advancement” pattern, with eastern regions maintaining a leadership position and other regions exhibiting varying degrees of convergence. Kernel density analysis reveals a transition from pronounced polarization to a more layered gradient structure. Moreover, Dagum Gini coefficient decomposition demonstrates that inter-regional inequality remains the dominant source of overall disparity, although the shares of intra-regional differences and transvariation effects are gradually expanding. These findings provide empirical insights for understanding spatial shifts in digital development and offer evidence for crafting region-specific digitalization strategies.