Study on the Impact of Digital Economy on the Export Trade in Yangtze River Delta
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54097/k2ay7n68Keywords:
digital economy, Yangtze River Delta, export trade, two-way fixed effects model.Abstract
With the rapid development of the digital economy and its influence on the international trade pattern, it is important to study its impact on export trade in the Yangtze River Delta. Taking the three provinces and one municipality in the Yangtze River Delta as the research object, this study constructs an evaluation index system from four dimensions: digital infrastructure, digital industrialization, industrial digitalization and digital innovation. The entropy method is used to measure the comprehensive development level of the digital economy from 2013 to 2024. Based on provincial panel data, a two-way fixed effects model is further used to examine the impact of the digital economy on export trade and its transmission mechanism. The results show that the digital economy significantly promotes the development of export trade in the Yangtze River Delta, and industrial structure optimization plays an important mediating role. The promoting effect also shows regional heterogeneity, with a stronger marginal effect in regions with a higher level of digital economy development. Based on these findings, this study proposes policy recommendations including strengthening digital infrastructure, promoting the integration of the digital economy and the real economy, improving fiscal and financial support, deepening regional coordination, and improving trade governance, so as to enhance the role of the digital economy in supporting export trade development in the Yangtze River Delta.
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