Does the innovation of digital economy policies improve land allocation efficiency?-a quasi-natural experiment based on the national digital economy innovation and development pilot zone

This article employs a difference-in-difference model, using panel data from 276 cities spanning the period from 2006 to 2022, to analyze the impact of establishing pilot zones on land allocation efficiency. The research results indicate that: (1) Establishing the pilot zones has a significant positive effect on land allocation efficiency, which is robust to various tests. This not only validates the efficacy of the policy but also suggests its potential for radiating influence, providing a viable model for broader regional implementation. (2) Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the policy’s positive effect on land allocation efficiency is more pronounced in key environmentally protected cities than in non-key cities. Among the regional heterogeneity, the policy effects of northwest cities along the Hu Huanyong Line are the largest, followed by cities along the Hu Huanyong Line, and the policy effects of southeast cities along the Hu Huanyong Line are the smallest. (3) Mechanism testing indicates that pilot zones improve land allocation efficiency by promoting economic growth, industrial agglomeration, and green innovation. This evidence provides policymakers with multidimensional optimization paths.