Abstract:

The development of digital industry clusters currently offers significant opportunities and momentum for enhancing the international competitiveness of the manufacturing sector. This study employs panel data from 30 Chinese provinces covering the period from 2012 to 2021 to systematically investigate the impact and mechanisms of specialized and diversified digital industry clusters on the technological complexity of manufacturing exports. The findings reveal that specialized and diversified clusters positively and significantly enhance the technological complexity of manufacturing exports. These results remain robust even after controlling for variables, replacing dependent variables, and addressing endogeneity issues. Moreover, the effects vary across different regions and industries. Specifically, specialized clustering in the digital industry enhances the technological complexity of exports primarily by attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) and reducing transaction costs, whereas diversified clustering achieves this through technological spillovers and transaction cost reduction. Threshold effect analysis further indicates that in regions with higher levels of urbanization and technological intensity, the impact of specialized clustering on technological complexity is more pronounced. This empirical study provides evidence-based support for the formulation of tailored digital industry development policies, highlighting the need to promote digital industry clusters according to the unique characteristics of different regions and industries, thereby facilitating the high-quality development of the manufacturing sector.

Key words: digital economy, industrial agglomeration, export technological complexity, manufacturing