Does the Policy of the Cross-border E-commerce Comprehensive Pilot Zone Promote the Internationalization of the Manufacturing Industry in Foshan?

In the context of China’s economy, facing the challenges of slowing foreign trade growth and domestic overcapacity, cross-border e-commerce has emerged as a critical driver of trade expansion, export growth, and economic development. Foshan, a key city in Guangdong Province, has proactively promoted economic development and industrial upgrading, resulting in consistent growth in cross-border e-commerce exports. In response to global economic changes, the Foshan government has implemented strategic policies, including establishing a comprehensive pilot zone for cross-border e-commerce, to enhance the city’s competitiveness on the global stage. This study aims to investigate the impact of the cross-border e-commerce comprehensive pilot zone policy on the development of Foshan’s cross-border e-commerce industry. To address this research question, we selected Foshan City as the treatment group and focused on the policy intervention period in 2019. Using the synthetic control method, we analyzed the policy’s effects on the output level of Foshan’s cross-border e-commerce industry.