Cross-border e-commerce as a driver of sustainable regional economic development: a multi-stakeholder case study of Jingzhou, China

Abstract

Cross-Border E-Commerce (CBEC) has emerged as a vital engine for regional economic transformation, yet inland cities in developing economies face distinct structural barriers to participation. This study investigates the CBEC development landscape of Jingzhou, a representative inland city in Hubei Province, China, through a mixed-methods approach combining field visits to 12 government agencies and enterprises, two structured questionnaire surveys (N = 120 enterprise respondents; N = 186 university students), semi-structured interviews, and comparative policy analysis with benchmark cities Shenzhen and Changsha. Results reveal that while Jingzhou possesses notable advantages—a solid industrial base in textiles, smart appliances, and prepared foods; rich higher education resources with seven universities and over 45,000 annual graduates; and emerging CBEC industrial parks—its development is constrained by an underdeveloped policy framework, limited enterprise operational capacity, and a critical shortage of specialized CBEC talent. The comparative policy analysis reveals a notable gap in CBEC-specific policy instruments: while Shenzhen and Changsha issued 30 and 28 such documents, respectively, during 2020–2024, Jingzhou's regulatory framework for CBEC remained at an early stage of development. The study proposes a three-pronged strategy encompassing (1) policy-driven environmental optimization, (2) industry-focused breakthroughs leveraging Jingzhou's competitive sectors, and (3) the establishment of a university-centered CBEC service hub integrating government, academic, enterprise, and industry association resources. These findings contribute a replicable analytical framework for sustainable e-commerce development in inland cities across emerging economies.