IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/finlet/v81y2025ics1544612325007287.html

Digital economy development, regional openness, and high-quality foreign trade

Author

Listed:
  • Liang, Min
  • Chen, Hongmei

Abstract

This study empirically investigates the effects of digital economy enhancement on high-quality foreign trade development using the panel feasible generalized least squares method. The results indicate that digital economy development has a significant positive effect on regional openness and high-quality foreign trade, and regional openness has a mediating role in the process. Additionally, the promotional influence of the digital economy on the high-quality development of foreign trade exhibits heterogeneous patterns of opening-up to the outside world.

Suggested Citation

  • Liang, Min & Chen, Hongmei, 2025. "Digital economy development, regional openness, and high-quality foreign trade," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:81:y:2025:i:c:s1544612325007287
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2025.107469
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1544612325007287
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.frl.2025.107469?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cui, Xiao & Li, Pingrui, 2025. "Digital economy, environmental expenditure, and green total factor productivity," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    2. Yu, Lulu & Liu, Yang, 2025. "Education levels and high-quality economic development," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    3. Alberto Bertello & Alberto Ferraris & Stefano Bresciani & Paola Bernardi, 2021. "Big data analytics (BDA) and degree of internationalization: the interplay between governance of BDA infrastructure and BDA capabilities," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 25(4), pages 1035-1055, December.
    4. Bole Zhou & Jing Ge, 2024. "Does corporate digitization affect investment efficiency? Evidence from China," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(20), pages 2144-2149, November.
    5. Qiao, Penghua & Liu, Siting & Fung, Hung-Gay & Wang, Chen, 2024. "Corporate green innovation in a digital economy," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 870-883.
    6. César Ducruet & David Guerrero, 2022. "Inland cities, maritime gateways and international trade," Post-Print hal-03764224, HAL.
    7. Hong, H.P., 2013. "Selection of regressand for fitting the extreme value distributions using the ordinary, weighted and generalized least-squares methods," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 71-80.
    8. He, Zheng & Liu, Zhengkai & Zhao, Yiaxin & Zhao, Yuanjun, 2024. "Is more digital always better? A nonlinear perspective on corporate digital transformation and OFDI," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 96(PA).
    9. Ducruet, César & Guerrero, David, 2022. "Inland cities, maritime gateways, and international trade," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    10. Li, Yuantian & Xu, Haoyu & Li, Huiru & Xu, Yingming, 2025. "Digital economy, environmental regulations, and green economic development," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    11. Haifeng Wang & Guangsi Li & YunZhi Hu, 2025. "Impact of the digital economy on public security: evidence from rural China," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(13), pages 1914-1918, July.
    12. Wang, Shucui & Peng, Ting & Du, Anna Min & Lin, Xiaohui, 2025. "The impact of the digital economy on rural industrial revitalization," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    13. Khurram, Muhammad Usman & Abbassi, Wajih & Chen, Yifan & Chen, Lifeng, 2024. "Outward foreign investment performance, digital transformation, and ESG performance: Evidence from China," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    14. Wang, Guiying & Lamadrid, Richel L. & Huang, Yu, 2024. "Digital transformation and enterprise outward foreign direct investment," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    15. Bhandari, Krishna Raj & Zámborský, Peter & Ranta, Mikko & Salo, Jari, 2023. "Digitalization, internationalization, and firm performance: A resource-orchestration perspective on new OLI advantages," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(4).
    16. Zhao, Hong & Li, Yiying & Wang, Zengtao & Zhao, Runnan, 2024. "Trade liberalization, regional trade openness degree, and foreign direct investment:Evidence from China," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    17. Liang, Shuang & Tan, Qingmei, 2024. "Can the digital economy accelerates China's export technology upgrading? Based on the perspective of export technology complexity," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    18. Ou, Xiaojing & Zhao, Weikang & Zheng, Zhiqiang & Mohiuddin, Muhammad, 2025. "Towards green trade: Digital economy and export quality of green products," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    19. Menggen Chen & Songyangyang Zhao & Jiawen Wang, 2023. "The Impact of the Digital Economy on Regional Carbon Emissions: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-34, October.
    20. Zhang, Qianxiao & Duan, Yixue, 2024. "Digital empowerment and export quality: The moderate effect of market segmentation," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    21. Li, Hongya & Lin, Xiaobin & Zhang, Zhaoyong, 2025. "How does digital finance affect imports, exports and trade balance: Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    22. Appiah, Emmanuel Kusi & Gabrielsson, Peter & Rialp Criado, Alex, 2025. "The role of digitalization in early internationalization Research: A systematic literature review and future research directions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    23. Guo, Bingnan & Wang, Yu & Zhang, Hao & Liang, Chunyan & Feng, Yu & Hu, Feng, 2023. "Impact of the digital economy on high-quality urban economic development: Evidence from Chinese cities," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    24. Li, Haibo & Xiao, Biyun, 2025. "Strengthening provincial export resilience through the digital economy: Analysis of impacts, global value chain integration, and regional disparities in China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    25. Xue, Qing & Liu, Xiangqin, 2024. "Can digital finance boost corporate green innovation," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 62(PB).
    26. Zoltan J. Acs & Abraham K. Song & László Szerb & David B. Audretsch & Éva Komlósi, 2021. "The evolution of the global digital platform economy: 1971–2021," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 57(4), pages 1629-1659, December.
    27. Guo, Hao & Minier, Jenny, 2021. "Borders, geography, and economic activity: The case of China," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    28. Fleisher, Belton & Li, Haizheng & Zhao, Min Qiang, 2010. "Human capital, economic growth, and regional inequality in China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(2), pages 215-231, July.
    29. César Ducruet & David Guerrero, 2022. "Inland cities, maritime gateways, and international trade," EconomiX Working Papers 2022-17, University of Paris Nanterre, EconomiX.
    30. Feliciano-Cestero, María M. & Ameen, Nisreen & Kotabe, Masaaki & Paul, Justin & Signoret, Mario, 2023. "Is digital transformation threatened? A systematic literature review of the factors influencing firms’ digital transformation and internationalization," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    31. repec:hal:journl:hal-04292896 is not listed on IDEAS
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Trung-Hieu Nguyen, 2024. "Investigating Driving Factors of Digital Transformation in the Vietnam Shipping Companies: Applied for TOE Framework," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(4), pages 21582440241, December.
    2. Zhao, Xiaowen & Sun, Zhuo, 2024. "Investment modes in dry port with network effect under regionally competitive environment," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    3. César Ducruet & Barbara Polo Martin, 2025. "Port-city evolution in the long run (1880-2020): global and regional trends," EconomiX Working Papers 2025-25, University of Paris Nanterre, EconomiX.
    4. Maria Orero-Blat & Daniel Palacios-Marqués & Antonio Luis Leal-Rodríguez & Alberto Ferraris, 2025. "Beyond digital transformation: a multi-mixed methods study on big data analytics capabilities and innovation in enhancing organizational performance," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 649-685, February.
    5. Arunima Paul & John Chung, 2025. "Welfare Effects of Financial Access on Trade: Evidence from Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) Business Loans," Auburn Economics Working Paper Series auwp2025-09, Department of Economics, Auburn University.
    6. Chen, Hong & Hu, Shangui & Cai, Yuqing, 2024. "Driving effect of fintech on firm green innovation in China's strategic emerging industries: The mediating role of digital transformation," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 96(PA).
    7. Shi, Lelai & Lin, Hong & Tan, Bing, 2025. "The impact of the coupling coordination between new-type urbanization and the digital economy on ecological efficiency," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    8. Huang, Jie & Lu, Hongyang & Du, Minzhe, 2025. "Can digital economy narrow the regional economic gap? Evidence from China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    9. Ma, Jinghao & Shang, Yujie & Liu, Liming, 2025. "Green image, digital transformation, and corporate green innovation," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    10. Nie, Peng & Zhong, Juncheng & Ren, Zhengliang & Huang, Jinglei, 2024. "Sustainable financing solutions for the growth of resource-driven economies in the digital economy age," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    11. Si Wu & Xiaolong Liu & Yuchen Xiang & Zaiqi Liu & Minhao Fan, 2025. "Does Digital Transformation Affect Outward Foreign Direct Investment Performance? Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-22, January.
    12. Zhao, Shuang & Zhang, Liqun & Peng, Lin & Zhou, Haiyan & Hu, Feng, 2024. "Enterprise pollution reduction through digital transformation? Evidence from Chinese manufacturing enterprises," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    13. Fanjun Zeng & Yingying Zhou & Bin Wei & Yongzhou Chen, 2025. "Harvesting Green Economy: Exploring the Impact of New Energy Demonstration City Policy on China’s Urban Green Total Factor Productivity," SAGE Open, , vol. 15(4), pages 21582440251, October.
    14. Zhong, Changbiao & Zhang, Chao, 2024. "Can data elements enhance urban innovation? Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    15. Huiqiang Ni & Zhen Yang & Wenlong Liu & Jianxia Cui, 2025. "Pre-Tax Deduction Policy for Employee Education Expenses and Corporate Digital Transformation: Evidence From China," SAGE Open, , vol. 15(2), pages 21582440251, June.
    16. Luo, Hanlin & Chen, Lusi & Xu, Xin, 2025. "How the disclosure of government public data stimulates corporate green transitions," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    17. Wang, YiZheng & Zhang, ZhenTian, 2025. "Digital development and rural financial inclusion: Evidence from China," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(PA).
    18. Xia Wang & Weina Huang, 2025. "Can digital M&As promote green innovation? Evidence from manufacturing companies in China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 20(12), pages 1-26, December.
    19. Qiao, Penghua & Chang, Ming & Zeng, Yuping, 2024. "The influence of digitalization on SMEs’ OFDI in emerging countries," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    20. Yang, Yi & Shen, Liyin & Sang, Meiyue & Ding, Xinyi, 2025. "The impact of digitalization on urban sustainable development – An economic perspective," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 212(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:81:y:2025:i:c:s1544612325007287. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/frl .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.