What determines China's trade balance dynamics: a disaggregate analysis of panel data

Gu, Xin, Zhou, Zhang-Yue, and Beg, A.B.M. Rabiul Alam (2014) What determines China's trade balance dynamics: a disaggregate analysis of panel data. Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, 19 (2). pp. 353-368.

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Abstract

China's huge trade surplus has attracted much interest around the globe from people of different walks of life. What has contributed to China's trade surplus has been a puzzle. Many researchers have attempted to discover the determinants that are responsible for China's trade imbalance but their findings are inconclusive or debatable. This paper offers new insights into the determinants of China's trade balance. In this study, the re-export role of Hong Kong in the trade of China's mainland is examined and the actual level of bilateral trade flows between China and each of its major trading partners is then re-estimated. Both these treatments are the first time employed in the literature, representing a major innovation in studying China's trade balance. The analysis with re-estimated trade data reveals that labour costs, income, foreign direct investment (FDI) and the exchange rate are all important determinants of China's trade surplus. However, the low labour cost has a much greater impact on China's trade surplus, followed by FDI. The exchange rate is also important but not as critical as many others have claimed.

Item ID: 32956
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1469-9648
Keywords: determinants, trade balance dynamics, disaggregate analysis, China
Date Deposited: 30 Apr 2014 09:50
FoR Codes: 14 ECONOMICS > 1402 Applied Economics > 140210 International Economics and International Finance @ 100%
SEO Codes: 91 ECONOMIC FRAMEWORK > 9103 International Trade > 910303 Trade Policy @ 30%
91 ECONOMIC FRAMEWORK > 9101 Macroeconomics > 910101 Balance of Payments @ 10%
91 ECONOMIC FRAMEWORK > 9101 Macroeconomics > 910104 Exchange Rates @ 60%
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