Research on the Influence of Digital Economy on Technological Complexity of China's Manufacture Exports

Abstract

This paper provides an empirical analysis of the relationship between China's digital economy and the improvement of technical complexity of China's manufacturing exports. First, the direct effect of digital economy on the enhancement of technical complexity of manufacturing exports is tested by constructing a fixed effect model; Second, the indirect effect of digital economy on the enhancement of technical complexity of manufacturing exports is tested by constructing a mediating effect model; Third, a heterogeneity model is constructed to test the differentiated impact of digital economy on the technical complexity of manufacturing exports. Empirical results suggest that: (1) the digital economy can effectively enhance the technological complexity of China's manufacturing exports; (2) product innovation is an important transmission mechanism for the digital economy to promote the enhancement of the technological complexity of manufacturing exports; (3) this enhancement effect is stronger in the economically developed regions.