China’s high-tech exports in 2000—2020

Abstract

The article examines the trends of China’s high-tech exports in 2000—2020, and identifies the main channels of technology acquisition by the Chinese economy. The main factors affecting China’s high-tech exports are high-tech imports, foreign direct investment in China, the country’s gross domestic expenditure on R&D, and the exchange rate. Meanwhile, technology imports, incoming foreign direct investment and China’s gross domestic expenditures on R&D are the channels of technology acquisition for the Chinese economy. Statistically significant correlation coefficients with the growth rate of the share of high-tech goods in PRC exports were obtained for the following indicators: the growth rate of the share of gross domestic expenditures on R&D in GDP, the growth rate of the share of high-tech goods in imports and the growth rate of the share of foreign direct investment in GDP. The important role of gross domestic expenditures on R&D in the development of China’s innovations should be recognized. R&D is actively applied in China in situations where it is difficult or impossible to access the necessary knowledge as part of participation in international technology exchange.