Expert point of view ｜ Zhang Qi: Digital trade has brought profound changes to the world economy

Editor -in -law's press Hongqiao International Economic Forum is an important part of the China International Import Expo, focusing on key hot topics in the global economic field, conducting discussions through various forms, and contributing the wisdom of Hongqiao in promoting global open development. In recent years, digital trade has become a new engine for international trade and economic growth and a new round of important economic globalization. Hongqiao International Economic Forum has always paid attention to issues related to digital trade, and has held sub -forums such as "Digital Age and E -commerce Innovation and Development" and "Digital Economy Shaping the Future of the World". Recently, the "Economic Daily" interviewed Zhang Qi, director and researcher of the Department of Foreign Economic Research Center of the Development Research Center of the State Council, explained the views on digital trade, and now reprinted relevant content for relevant parties to study reference.

The new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial changes have been accelerated, the digital economy has penetrated extensively, digital transformation has flourished, digital trade has emerged, and has a profound impact on trade models, objects, structures, and patterns. The profound reform of the innovation chain has become an important driving force for international trade and economic growth and a new round of economic globalization- "digital globalization".

Digital trade is empowered by information and communication technology, with data flow as the key traction, with modern information networks as an important carrier, with digital platforms as information hubs and strong support. It is a huge leap in international trade innovation and development. Revolutionary changes. As a new international trade form, the connotation of digital trade is constantly abundant. Although all parties are not uniform in definition of their definitions, the understanding of its essential connotation has become consistent. Economic Cooperation and Development Organization (OECD), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) define it as a trade conducted through digital ordering and digital delivery. Exist.

Compared with traditional trade, digital trade characteristics are highly reflected in two aspects: one is the digitalization of trade methods, and the other is the digitalization of trade objects. The digitalization of the trade method refers to the digital transformation of the entire process of trade and the entire industrial chain. It is a widespread application of digital technology in the field of goods and service trade. Essence At the same time, cross -border services are achieved through online delivery, especially culture, education, research and development, and consultation.

The digitalization of trade objects refers to the factors and services that exist in data forms to become important trading objects in international trade. They are generally divided into three categories: information communication technology (ICT) service trade, including telecommunications services, information services, software replication and distribution Licensing permits et al.; ICT's service trade, including digital finance, digital education, digital medical care, industrial Internet, etc.; Data elements with commercial value cross -border flow.

In recent years, the rapid expansion of digital trade and continuous improvement of importance have brought unprecedented opportunities and new challenges to industrial change and enterprise global development, bringing profound changes to the world economy.

The first is to inject new kinetic energy into trade development and economic growth. Digital trade has spawned a new business and new model, innovated the service provision method, greatly expanded the breadth and depth of trade, helped to increase efficiency and quality in all aspects, and brought new opportunities for the adjustment of trade structure and the development of new services. The scale of service trade reached 3.13 trillion US dollars.

The second is to expand the development space of global service trade. In recent years, global digital services trade has grown steadily, and the global popularity of new crown pneumonia has highlighted the development toughness and huge potential of digital trade. The global service trade in 2020 was severely impacted, a year -on -year decrease of 20.0%, and the impact of the epidemic prevention and control on the service trade that passed the number of numbers was limited, and the digital transformation of traditional service trade such as finance, insurance, education, and medical care, online office, cloud computing, etc. The emerging digital service industry has gained rare development opportunities. The proportion of global digital trade in service trade in 2020 increased from 48.1%in 2011 to 62.8%, and an increase of 11.6 percentage points in 2020, the dominant position in global service trade gradually appeared.

Third, the key momentum of growth is the digitalization of the trade object. From the perspective of segments, in the past ten years, ICT service trade has developed the fastest, and the proportion of digital service trade is the largest and continued to increase.

Fourth, the concentration of digital trade is high and concentration continues to increase. The scale of the digital economy and the platform economy has a significant effect. In countries with high advantages in developed countries and high market share, among the top ten countries in the global service trade scale, developed countries occupy 8 seats, and developing countries are only China and India.

Fifth, the business existence model is still the main model of digital service trade. The 2020 business existence model accounted for 66.1%in digital service trade. With its strong industrial competitiveness and rich experience in overseas investment and international operations, developed countries account for a higher proportion of business existence models.

Sixth, to promote profound changes in the global value chain. Digital trade has reduced the costs such as communication, logistics, and matching in the global value chain, and promoted the continuous extension of the international division of labor and the value chain. The proportion of digital service elements in input and output has continued to increase, becoming an important part of the value chain and influencing factors. Digital infrastructure Unicom, free and orderly flow of cross -border data, integrate development and utilization, will promote the acceleration of industrial acceleration and create huge value -added space. The era of digital economy has arrived, and digital trade has shown strong vitality and toughness, becoming the stabilizer and new engine of economic globalization. In order to seize new opportunities, in recent years, major economies have generally regarded the development of digital trade as the focus of national development planning, policies and regulations, foreign economic and trade cooperation and international rules, and strive to build a good institutional environment. In the future, international competition will become more intense, and the significance of promoting the development and cooperation of digital trade is even more significant.

Hongqiao International Economic Forum is an important part of the China International Import Expo. It is hosted by the Ministry of Commerce and the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, and hosted by the China International Import Expo and National Convention and Exhibition Center (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. International organizations such as the WTO, the United Nations Development Planning Department, the Trade Development Conference, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Industrial Development Organization, and the International Trade Center are cooperative units. Hongqiao International Economic Forum consists of the opening ceremony of the Import Expo and the main forum of Hongqiao Forum and multiple sub -forums. With "global opening up" as its core theme, international public products are located, focusing on the topic of world economic hotspots, and gathering well -known people in the international political and business community. Establish a high -end dialogue exchange platform.

Source: Economic Daily, May 27, 2022, 11th edition

Author: Zhang Qi

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