Against the backdrop of surging global trade protectionism and the increasing strategic prominence of technological development, investigating the impact of digital trade barriers on China's high-tech product exports holds significant practical implications. Based on a destination-year-product level panel dataset spanning from 2014 to 2023, this paper empirically examines the impact of digital trade barriers on China's high-tech product exports and their potential transmission mechanisms. The results indicate that digital trade barriers significantly inhibit China's high-tech product exports; notably, this negative effect is more pronounced in destination countries with smaller market sizes, weaker digital infrastructure, and higher initial trade volumes with China, and lower initial levels of Chinese investment, as well as for low value-added products, intermediate and capital goods, and products characterized by high skill and high digital intensity. Mechanism analysis reveals that digital trade barriers primarily exert their influence by increasing cross-border transaction costs and heightening market operational uncertainty. Ultimately, this study provides empirical evidence and policy implications for overcoming digital trade barriers, fostering high-tech product exports, and promoting high-quality trade development.