Research on the Influence of Digital Technology and Policy Restrictions on the Development of Digital Service Trade

Abstract

Due to economic globalization and the progress of digital technology, digital service trade develops rapidly, but it also faces challenges such as digital trade policy barriers, and gradually attracts the attention of all countries in the world. Based on panel data of 40 countries or regions from 2014 to 2020, this study empirically analyzed the moderating effects of digital technology and policy restrictions on digital service trade and the moderating effects of policy restrictions on the relationship between digital service trade and the other two by using a double fixed effect model. The results show that: first, the improvement of digital technology level enhances the scale of digital service trade import and export significantly; Secondly, the higher the degree of policy restriction is, the more significant the development of digital service trade will be inhibited, and according to the heterogeneity of import and export scale, the more significant the restriction is only on export. Third, restriction policy has a significant positive moderating effect on the positive relationship between digital technology and digital service trade, and only supports emerging economies according to the heterogeneity of countries. Therefore, China should strengthen its own digital technology construction, reduce the difference between China and its trading partners in digital service trade restriction policies, and actively participate in the construction of a digital service trade governance system under a multilateral cooperation mechanism, so as to promote the vigorous development of digital service trade.