Digital Trade and Governance of Global Value Chain Resilience

Abstract

Global value chains are shifting from efficiency-first to security and resilience priority, with digital trade becoming a key force in reshaping governance logic. Based on multiple frontier studies, this research systematically examines the intrinsic relationships among digital technology, digital trade rules, artificial intelligence, and GVC resilience. The findings indicate that digital trade enhances resilience through three mechanisms: risk diversification and supply-demand matching optimization, institutional opening-up and rule network embeddedness, and digital competitiveness improvement and structural constraint mitigation. Key drivers include digital trade rule network status, industrial digitalization, AI application, and new-quality productive forces. Meanwhile, multiple external shocks weaken resilience through rising trade costs, asset-specificity traps, and network modularity lock-in, and the enabling effect exhibits a “Matthew effect.” This research proposes governance pathways including constructing a “China Template” for digital trade rules, advancing institutional opening-up, and strengthening digital infrastructure.