Does the application of industrial robots promote export green transformation? Evidence from Chinese manufacturing enterprises

Green exports are key in propelling China's foreign trade toward high-quality development. Based on rigorous theoretical analysis, this article employs comprehensive data from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) from 2006 to 2014, along with data from the China Customs and industrial enterprise databases, to evaluate the impact of industrial robot utilization on fostering the green transformation of exports. The results reveal that the application of industrial robots unequivocally contributes to advancing the eco-friendly transformation of exports. This conclusion withstands endogeneity and robustness tests. In particular, industrial robots directly promote the green transformation of exports and exert an indirect influence through technological and scale effects. Technological effects can be divided into technological progress and green production, while scale effects relate to enterprise size and industry competitiveness. In terms of heterogeneity, the promoting effect of industrial robot utilization on the green transformation of exports is more pronounced in foreign-funded enterprises, technology-intensive enterprises, and enterprises in the eastern region. To efficiently leverage policy effects and facilitate the green transformation of exports, this article suggests strengthening policy guidance, providing special funds, tax incentives, and rewards, enhancing enterprise research and development capabilities, and encouraging domestic and non-technology-intensive enterprises, and enterprises in the eastern region to utilize industrial robots. •Industrial robots significantly promote the green transformation of exports.•Technological and scale effects are key mechanisms driving this transformation.•Foreign-funded, technology-intensive, and eastern region enterprises benefit most.•Policy recommendations include enhancing R&D capabilities and targeted support.