Exploring Regional Economic Resilience: Empirical Evidence from the Digitization of Trade
Wulin Wu, Xuan Zeng, Shunhui Li
Keywords:
trade digitization, economic resilience, technological innovation, industrial structure upgrading, industrial competitiveness, transmission mechanism, heterogeneity test
Abstract:
The development of digital technology has promoted the digital transformation of trade supported by the Internet, and has gradually become a new trend of international trade development and a new driving force to enhance economic resilience. Based on the construction of an indicator system, this paper measures and analyzes the levels of trade digitization and economic resilience in 30 provinces of China from 2010 to 2023. It also explores the mechanisms and impacts through which trade digitization affects regional economic resilience from both theoretical and empirical perspectives. The findings are as follows. First, the levels of trade digitization and economic resilience in China’s provincial regions have both shown an upward trend. Second, trade digitization can significantly enhance regional economic resilience. Third, trade digitization strengthens regional economic resilience through pathways such as stimulating technological innovation, promoting industrial upgrading, and temporarily suppressing industrial competitiveness. Fourth, the positive impact of trade digitization on economic resilience is more evident in the central region and southern region, as well as provinces with relatively lower levels of economic development, technological innovation, industrial upgrading, and becomes negative in provinces with lower levels of industrial competitiveness. The conclusions of this paper provides ideas and references for China to promote digital transformation of trade and empower regional economic resilience. It also provides new empirical evidence and valuable references for countries around the world, especially developing countries, to promote trade liberalization and sustainable economic development.
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 Exploring Regional Economic Resilience: Empirical Evidence from the Digitization of Trade [PDF file] [Filesize: 767.78 KB]
 10.7441/joc.2025.03.11
Wu, H., Wu, C., & Chen, Y. (2025). Exploring Regional Economic Resilience: Empirical Evidence from the Digitization of Trade. Journal of Competitiveness, 17(3), 291-331. https://doi.org/10.7441/joc.2025.03.11
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