The Impact of the Digital Economy on the Resilience of China’s Foreign Trade

As a core driver of high-quality and sustainable economic development, the deep integration of the digital economy with foreign trade has emerged as a critical pathway to enhance the resilience of China’s foreign trade while advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—particularly those related to decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure, and partnerships. This study employs panel data from 30 Chinese provinces spanning 2012–2021, combined with a two-way fixed effects model, mediating effect model, and threshold panel model, to empirically explore how the digital economy shapes foreign trade resilience and its implications for sustainable development. The findings demonstrate that the digital economy significantly empowers the enhancement of foreign trade resilience, with industrial structure advancement serving as a key mediating channel. This mechanism aligns with sustainable development principles by promoting resource allocation efficiency, reducing environmental footprints through optimized trade processes, and fostering inclusive industrial upgrading. To advance sustainable foreign trade development, policy implications include strengthening digital infrastructure, promoting the integration of digital economy and green industries, and optimizing institutional frameworks for inclusive digital trade.