Theoretical Mechanisms and Empirical Tests of How New Quality Productive Forces Influence the Development of New Urbanization

In the context of high-quality development, accelerating the advancement of new quality productive forces is an essential requirement for promoting China's distinctive model of new urbanization. This study examines the driving effect of new quality productive forces on new urbanization across 262 cities nationwide from 2010 to 2024. The results demonstrate that new quality productive forces significantly propel new urbanization, a conclusion reinforced by robust statistical testing. Mediation analysis confirms that these forces empower new urbanization through two pathways: Enhancing human capital quality and improving urban governance capabilities. Heterogeneity analysis reveals particularly pronounced effects in eastern cities, major metropolitan areas, and cities with advanced levels of new quality productive forces. Therefore, it is imperative to continuously cultivate and strengthen new quality productive forces, further optimize human capital, enhance urban governance capabilities, implement tailored policies, and establish a sustainable framework where new quality productive forces drive new urbanization.