Based on the literature review on digital economy and high-quality development of manufacturing industry, the impact of digital economy on high-quality development of manufacturing industry was researched based on the data of 31 provinces from 2011 to 2021, the common panel model, intermediary effect model, panel threshold effect model and Spatial Dubin model were constructed. The results are as follows. The digital economy promotes the high-quality development of the manufacturing industry. Pratt & Whitney plays a key intermediary role as the digital economy boosts the high quality of manufacturing. There are different levels of economic development between the digital economy and the high-quality development of the manufacturing industry in the developed regions, this difference is reflected in the promotion effect of the digital economy on the high-quality development of the manufacturing industry, which is more evident in economically underdeveloped areas. The digital economy has spatial spillover effects on the high-quality development of manufacturing industry, which not only promotes the local area but also promotes the high-quality development of manufacturing industry in neighboring areas.