Study on coupling and coordination between digital economy and rural revitalization

Abstract Using panel data from 31 Chinese provinces and municipalities between 2011 and 2019, this study employs the entropy-weighted TOPSIS method, Kernel Density Estimation (KDE), Dagum Gini coefficient decomposition, and Moran's I Index analysis to examine the comprehensive levels of China's digital economy system and rural revitalization system. The research explores their overall characteristics, distribution dynamics, regional disparities, spatial effects, and secondary indicator coordination. Key findings include: (1) Both digital economy and rural revitalization levels showed consistent growth throughout the study period, with coastal economic zones demonstrating higher rural revitalization achievements; (2) While initially at a moderate coordination stage, the synergy between digital economy and rural revitalization has gradually strengthened, particularly in coastal regions; (3) Over time, the coordination degree increased with geographic dispersion; (4) Regional disparities in coordination showed progressive expansion, primarily due to inter-regional differences; (5) Spatial correlations exist in coordination effectiveness across regions; (6) Digital economy significantly positively influences rural revitalization, with coastal and Mid-Yangtze River Economic Zone clusters maintaining high coordination levels in secondary indicators. These insights provide valuable guidance for implementing digital economy-driven rural revitalization policies.