The impact of high-tech product export trade on regional carbon performance in China: the mediating roles of industrial structure supererogation, low-carbon technological innovation, and human capital accumulation

Abstract

The role of expanding the proportion of high-tech products in the export trade of various countries to identify the appropriate export structure has gradually attracted the attention of governments and scholars. While there is some knowledge on how high-tech product exports affect carbon dioxide emissions, the mechanisms involved in that link have not been adequately addressed in previous studies. This study is based on China’s inter-provincial panel data from 2006 to 2017 and uses the stepwise regression method and the bootstrap method to systematically investigate the mediating effects of industrial structure supererogation, low-carbon technological innovation, and human capital accumulation, operating in the impact of high-tech product export trade on regional carbon performance. Since the Pesaran’s CD test and the P&Y slope homogeneity test confirm the presence of cross-sectional dependence and slope heterogeneity in the panel data, we use the CADF and CIPS unit root tests to verify the stationarity of the variables and therefore employ the CCEMG and DCCE estimators for regression estimation. The research results show that high-tech product exports can help improve regional carbon performance. The mediating variables, industrial structure supererogation, low-carbon technological innovation, and human capital accumulation separately have positive and complete mediating effects on the link between high-tech product export trade and regional carbon performance. The research results highlight the important part of expanding high-tech product exports in improving regional carbon performance and have significance in promoting China’s green and low-carbon transition.

A Catalyst for China’s High-Tech Export Competitiveness: Perspective of Technological Innovation

“…It allows for product refinement according to diverse consumer needs, increasing market recognition and brand influence, thereby elevating brand value and opening international markets to enhance global market competitiveness [39]. Furthermore, as high-tech products are knowledgeand technology-intensive, technological innovation can change the intensity of product elements, enhancing export competitiveness [40,41]. The intensity of elements reflects the quality of high-tech products, as the incorporation of substantial scientific and technological content continuously raises the intensity of knowledge and technology elements [33].…”

Assessing the Key Factors Measuring Regional Competitiveness

“…This narrative highlights the symbiotic interplay between high-tech products, innovation, and human capital, collectively forging the economic destinies of nations [190]. Recognizing that innovation thrives on individual brilliance, nations invest vigorously in nurturing technologists, fostering growth, and encouraging unfettered creativity [149,150]. This intricate tapestry of innovation, technology, and human endeavor constructs an economic landscape where progress becomes a tangible and sustainable reality [151].…”

Spatial and nonlinear effects of new-type urbanization and technological innovation on industrial carbon dioxide emission in the Yangtze River Delta

“…However, the qualification of technology is not the same in the research; many studies turn their eyes on the new CPC-Y02 patent classification system to obtain the variable low-carbon technology patent (LCP). Han et al investigated the mediating relationship between LTP and regional carbon performance (Han and Zhou 2022 ). Wang et al performed the spatial Durbin model to test the positive impact of LTP on green total factor productivity in China (Wang et al 2022a ).…”