联合国贸易发展委员会-新冠疫情对数字经济贸易的影响（英）-2021.10-15页_573kb

Summary of the Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Trade in the Digital Economy

Core Content

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly accelerated the adoption of digital technologies, reshaping global trade patterns in the digital economy. This document explores the impacts on ICT goods and ICT services, with a particular focus on how the pandemic affected Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and African nations, which lagged behind in digital trade.

Main Points

1. ICT Goods Trade

• The pandemic drove a rebound in ICT goods trade, reversing declines seen in 2019.
• Global ICT goods exports increased by 4% in 2020, reaching US$2.3 trillion, while imports rose by 1.1%, totaling US$2.5 trillion.
• Despite the overall contraction in merchandise trade (around 7.5%), the share of ICT goods in merchandise imports increased to 16% in 2020, the highest since 2000.
• Regional disparities were evident:
  • Eastern and South-Eastern Asia saw the largest increase in ICT goods exports (8%).
  • LDCs and Africa experienced sharp declines in ICT goods exports (respectively -82% and -48%).
  • LDCs and Africa also saw larger drops in their share of ICT goods trade relative to other regions, further widening the digital divide.

2. ICT Services and Digitally Deliverable Services

• ICT services accounted for 14% of global services exports in 2020, up from 10% in 2019.
• Digitally deliverable services made up 64% of total services exports, a minimal decline of 1.8% compared to the 20% drop in overall services trade.
• LDCs and Africa fell further behind in their share of digitally deliverable services exports, with LDCs seeing a 22% drop in ICT services exports and Africa a 9% decline in digitally deliverable services exports.

3. Top Exporters and Importers of ICT Goods

• Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, led by China, accounted for over 75% of global ICT goods exports.
• ICT goods exports in LDCs and Africa dropped sharply, while developed regions saw more stable or slightly increasing trade.
• Top importers of ICT goods included China, United States, and Germany, with Asia and North America seeing growth in imports.

4. Top Exporters and Importers of ICT Services

• Ireland was the largest exporter of ICT services, contributing US$151 billion to the economy (36% of GDP).
• Germany and United States were the top importers of ICT services, with Germany spending US$39.7 billion and United States US$35.5 billion.
• Singapore and India were the only developing countries among the top-10 ICT services importers.

5. Digitally Deliverable Services

• The United States was the largest importer of digitally deliverable services, spending US$317.6 billion in 2020.
• Luxembourg had the highest GDP share of digitally deliverable services imports (99.8%), but still exported US$98 billion.
• Developing countries such as Singapore, Anguilla, and Seychelles had high GDP shares in digitally deliverable services trade, though most saw declines in the value of these services.

Key Information

• ICT goods and ICT services have become more prominent in global trade due to the pandemic.
• LDCs and Africa lagged in their ability to benefit from the digital transformation, with ICT goods trade and ICT services exports declining significantly.
• Electronic components dominated ICT goods trade, making up 44% of global ICT imports.
• Digitally deliverable services accounted for 64% of global services exports in 2020, showing resilience against the broader decline in services trade.
• The digital divide has been exacerbated, with LDCs and Africa falling further behind in digital trade participation.
• Northern America and Western Asia led in growth of ICT services exports, while Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean saw declines.

Conclusion

The pandemic has accelerated digitalization, increasing the importance of ICT-related trade in the global economy. While ICT goods and services saw growth in some regions, LDCs and Africa were left behind, deepening existing inequalities. The digital divide remains a critical challenge, requiring urgent attention to ensure equitable access to digital technologies and trade opportunities.