Transport Infrastructure Development and Economic Growth in China: Recent Evidence from Dynamic Panel System-GMM Analysis

China’s growth miracle has been accompanied by a great leap forward in the development of transport infrastructure. This study examines and compares impacts from the quantity, quality, and structural aspects of transport infrastructure on regional economic growth in China as the country approaches an upper-middle income status. We also incorporate government’s development strategies into the framework for evaluating the growth effect of China’s transport infrastructure. Using a consistent and robust dynamic panel data system generalized method of moments (system-GMM) estimation for identification, we find strong evidence confirming that transport infrastructure contributes to regional economic growth in China during the period 2007–2015, as the country approaches its upper-middle income status. In particular, quality improvements in roads and railways and the structural upgrading of transport infrastructure significantly contribute to growth. However, we do not find that quantity expansion of the overall land transport network has a significant impact. Moreover, government development strategies that defy local comparative advantages not only detract from the growth rate but also potentially restrict the contribution of transport infrastructure. Lastly, the regional heterogeneity for Western China may differ across transport modes, particularly with respect to goods versus passenger transport and roadways versus railways.