Internet Plus, Industrial Transformation, and China’s Evolving Urban System

With the emergence of new and advanced information and telecommunication technologies, Chinese cities are encountering significant changes in their development dynamics. This study examines the spatial pattern of emerging industries under the influence of new technologies within the context of China’s “Internet Plus” initiative. It constructs a theoretical framework from an evolutionary economic geography (EEG) perspective and highlights the interdependence between the Internet Plus economy and urban systems. The analysis finds that the development of Internet Plus in cities intensifies the spatial agglomeration of new economic resources, and results in industrial transformation led by only a few large cities and spatial polarization within the urban system. However, advances in Internet technologies also provide a window of opportunity for smaller cities, and local industrial bases and relevant specializations play a crucial role in this process.