RTA数字贸易规则如何影响数字服务出口——基于协定条款异质性视角

How do Rules on Digital Trade in Regional Trade Agreements Make a Difference to Digital Service Exports——From the Perspective of Heterogeneity of RTA Provisions

本文根据区域贸易协定(RTA)不同类型数字贸易条款的规则属性,构建了条款异质性指数,并对其深度进行量化,基于2005—2018年全球72个经济体的双边数字服务出口数据,实证检验RTA数字贸易规则深度对数字服务出口的影响。研究发现,RTA数字贸易规则深度提高显著促进了参与国的数字服务出口,且不同类型条款存在异质性影响,数据相关条款(自由开放型)深度提升的促进作用最大,其次为贸易促进条款(环境便利型),最后为隐私保护条款(保护平衡型)。同时发现,RTA成员方的国内监管质量差异对数字贸易规则深度提高带来的出口影响存在门槛效应,只有当两国间的国内监管质量差异控制在一定水平时,RTA数字贸易规则才能有效促进双边数字服务出口。这表明,对国内监管质量水平相对更低的发展中国家而言,高标准的数字贸易规则参与是一个"循序渐进"和"干中学"的过程,与一味追求签署"最高标准"的深度规则相比,改善国内数字贸易监管治理水平更为重要。

This paper developed a portfolio of indexes for measuring the heterogeneity of provisions as set forth in regional trade agreements(RTAs)and conducted quantitative analysis of their depth,depending on the attributes of rules on digital trade specifying a wide and diverse variety of provisions in RTAs.It was supported by empirical evidence to study the impact of the depth of rules on digital trade in RTAs on the digital service exports of participating countries based on the data concerning bilateral digital service exports from 72 economies worldwide from 2005 to 2018.The study finds that the increase in the depth of rules on digital trade in RTAs plays a vital role in boosting digital service exports,and different types of rules and provisions have heterogeneous impacts on digital service exports.It is concluded that the increase in the depth of data-related provisions(free and open type)is the greatest boost to digital services exports,followed by trade promotion provisions(environmental convenience type),and privacy protection provisions(protection balance type).The study also shows that the difference in domestic regulatory quality among RTA members has a threshold effect on the export-related impacts brought by the deepening of rules on digital trade.In other words,only when the difference in domestic regulatory quality between two countries has been controlled to a certain extent will the rules on digital trade in RTAs become an effective factor driving the export of bilateral digital services.This means that participation in rules on digital trade of a higher standard is more of a"step by step"and"learning by doing"process for those developing countries that represent relatively lower domestic regulatory quality.As a result,it is necessary to place higher value on the improvement in domestic regulatory governance of digital trade,compared to the blind pursuit of signing rules of"the highest standards"with more depth.