Assessing the impact of the digital economy on sustainable development in the underdeveloped regions of western China

In the pursuit of sustainable development, western China's underdeveloped regions may face challenges in balancing economic growth with the carrying capacity of resources and the environment. As a new driving force for economic transformation, whether the digital economy impacts sustainable development in the underdeveloped regions of western China is a worthy question for further empirical investigation. Using panel data from 12 provinces in western China's underdeveloped regions from 2011 to 2022, this study employs double machine learning to objectively assess the impact of the digital economy on sustainable development in these regions. The findings reveal that the digital economy considerably promotes sustainable development in western China's underdeveloped regions. Each dimension of the digital economy—digital infrastructure, digital industrialization, digitization of industry, and digital innovation—has a notable positive impact on sustainable development. Therefore, promoting industry's digital transformation in western China's underdeveloped regions and strengthening digital infrastructure construction can promote sustainable development in these regions.