IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/asiaec/v35y2021i2p142-165.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Do Higher‐Quality Regional Trade Agreements Improve the Quality of Export Products from China to “One‐Belt One‐Road” Countries?

Author

Listed:
  • Jin Sun

Abstract

The paper examines the impact of the quality of regional trade agreements (RTA) on the quality of China's exports to the ‘Belt and Road' countries. We use enterprise and product data from China and from 11 Belt and Road countries that have signed RTA with China. The quality of the RTA, as measured by clause coverage and law commitment indexes, significant impact in the quality of export products. In RTAs, the commitment rate plays an overall important role; however, the clause coverage rate of the new generation of WTO‐X agreements has a greater effect than for WTO+ agreements, especially for medium and high‐technology products, which must meet the high standards. The effect of high‐quality RTA is greater in improving the quality of Chinese state‐owned enterprises' products exported to Belt and Road countries when compared with those of private and foreign‐holding companies.

Suggested Citation

  • Jin Sun, 2021. "Do Higher‐Quality Regional Trade Agreements Improve the Quality of Export Products from China to “One‐Belt One‐Road” Countries?," Asian Economic Journal, East Asian Economic Association, vol. 35(2), pages 142-165, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:asiaec:v:35:y:2021:i:2:p:142-165
    DOI: 10.1111/asej.12241
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/asej.12241
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/asej.12241?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Henrik Horn & Petros C. Mavroidis & André Sapir, 2010. "Beyond the WTO? An Anatomy of EU and US Preferential Trade Agreements," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(11), pages 1565-1588, November.
    2. Dollar, David & Kraay, Aart, 2003. "Institutions, trade, and growth : revisiting the evidence," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3004, The World Bank.
    3. Abdul K. M. Azhar & Robert J. R. Elliott, 2008. "On the Measurement of Changes in Product Quality in Marginal Intra-Industry Trade," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 144(2), pages 225-247, July.
    4. Daron Acemoglu & Jaume Ventura, 2002. "The World Income Distribution," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 117(2), pages 659-694.
    5. Daniele Curzi & Valentina Raimondi & Alessandro Olper, 2015. "Editor's choice Quality upgrading, competition and trade policy: evidence from the agri-food sector," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 42(2), pages 239-267.
    6. Hu, Cui & Lin, Faqin, 2016. "Product standards and export quality: Micro evidence from China," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 274-277.
    7. Cecile Gaubert & Oleg Itskhoki, 2021. "Granular Comparative Advantage," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 129(3), pages 871-939.
    8. Oladi, Reza & Beladi, Hamid & Chau, Nancy, 2008. "Multinational corporations and export quality," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 65(1), pages 147-155, January.
    9. James E. Anderson & Eric van Wincoop, 2004. "Trade Costs," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 42(3), pages 691-751, September.
    10. Amit K. Khandelwal & Peter K. Schott & Shang-Jin Wei, 2013. "Trade Liberalization and Embedded Institutional Reform: Evidence from Chinese Exporters," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 103(6), pages 2169-2195, October.
    11. Dollar, David & Kraay, Aart, 2003. "Institutions, trade, and growth," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 133-162, January.
    12. Roberto Álvarez & J. Rodrigo Fuentes, 2011. "Entry into Export Markets and Product Quality," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(8), pages 1237-1262, August.
    13. Cesare Imbriani & Piergiuseppe Morone & Francesco Renna, 2015. "Innovation and Exporting: Does Quality Matter?," The International Trade Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(4), pages 273-290, October.
    14. Mastooreh Eshraghi & Normaz Wana Ismail, 2013. "Intra Industry Trade and Product Quality: China and Eight Developing Countries," International Journal of Business and Economics, School of Management Development, Feng Chia University, Taichung, Taiwan, vol. 12(1), pages 59-72, June.
    15. Bandyopadhyay, Swapnendu & Acharyya, Rajat, 2006. "Does input sector liberalization promote quality innovation and exports?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 15(4), pages 443-462.
    16. Inmaculada Martínez-Zarzoso & Celestino Burguet, 2000. "Measurement of export prices and changes in product quality," International Advances in Economic Research, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 6(4), pages 619-632, November.
    17. Unjung Whang, 2014. "Who Exports Better Quality Products to Smaller or More Distant Markets?," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(3), pages 578-598, August.
    18. Paolo Mauro, 1995. "Corruption and Growth," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 110(3), pages 681-712.
    19. Curzi, Daniele & Olper, Alessandro, 2012. "Export behavior of Italian food firms: Does product quality matter?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(5), pages 493-503.
    20. Chang-Soo Lee & Backhoon Song, 2015. "Expansion of EU's Free Trade Agreements into Asian Countries and Its Impact on the Chinese Economy," Global Economic Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(4), pages 431-451, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Zhou, Fengxiu & Wen, Huwei, 2022. "Trade policy uncertainty, development strategy, and export behavior: Evidence from listed industrial companies in China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    2. He, Dongwei & Wang, Yunfei & You, Kai, 2023. "Market entry and the dynamics of export product quality: Evidence from Chinese manufacturing firms," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 692-706.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Charlotte Emlinger & Viola Lamani, 2020. "International trade, quality sorting and trade costs: the case of Cognac," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 156(3), pages 579-609, August.
    2. Curzi, Daniele & Schuster, Monica & Maertens, Miet & Olper, Alessandro, 2020. "Standards, trade margins and product quality: Firm-level evidence from Peru," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    3. Harashima, Taiji, 2017. "Should a Government Fiscally Intervene in a Recession and, If So, How?," MPRA Paper 78053, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Hasan A. Faruq, 2017. "Corruption, product complexity and African exporters," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(6), pages 534-546, February.
    5. Pierre‐Guillaume Méon & Khalid Sekkat, 2004. "Does the Quality of Institutions Limit the MENA's Integration in the World Economy?," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(9), pages 1475-1498, September.
    6. Finicelli, Andrea & Pagano, Patrizio & Sbracia, Massimo, 2013. "Ricardian selection," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(1), pages 96-109.
    7. Smaoui, Houcem & Nechi, Salem, 2017. "Does sukuk market development spur economic growth?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 136-147.
    8. Sithanonxay Suvannaphakdy & Alisa DiCaprio, 2021. "Are Asian least developed countries sidelined in advanced manufacturing production networks?," Asian-Pacific Economic Literature, The Crawford School, The Australian National University, vol. 35(1), pages 134-152, May.
    9. Al Mamun, Md & Sohag, Kazi & Hassan, M. Kabir, 2017. "Governance, resources and growth," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 238-261.
    10. Axel Dreher & Pierre-Guillaume Méon & Friedrich Schneider, 2014. "The devil is in the shadow. Do institutions affect income and productivity or only official income and official productivity?," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 158(1), pages 121-141, January.
    11. Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & Violeta Vulovic & Yongzheng Liu, 2011. "Direct versus Indirect Taxation: Trends, Theory, and Economic Significance," Chapters, in: Emilio Albi & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez (ed.), The Elgar Guide to Tax Systems, chapter 2, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    12. Karim Khan, 2015. "Endogenous Institutional Change and Privileged Groups," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 54(3), pages 171-195.
    13. Stimpfle, Alexander & Stadelmann, David, 2015. "The Impact of Fundamental Development Factors on Different Income Groups: International Evidence," VfS Annual Conference 2015 (Muenster): Economic Development - Theory and Policy 113128, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    14. Wandeda, Dickson O. & Masai, Wafula & Myandemo, Samuel M., 2021. "Institutional quality and economic growth: evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa countries," African Journal of Economic Review, African Journal of Economic Review, vol. 9(4), September.
    15. Yacine Belarbi & Lylia Sami & Saïd Souam, 2016. "The effects of institutions and natural resources in heterogeneous growth regimes," Middle East Development Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(2), pages 248-265, July.
    16. Pierre-Guillaume Méon & Khalid Sekkat, 2007. "Revisiting the relationship between governance and foreign direct investment," Brussels Economic Review, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles, vol. 50(1), pages 41-61.
    17. Eiji Yamamura & Inyong Shin, 2009. "Effects of Income Inequality on Growth through Efficiency Improvement and Capital Accumulation," International Economic Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(2), pages 237-258.
    18. Hayat, Arshad & Rakshit, Shoumyadeep, 2020. "Natural resources curse or blessing? Evidence from a large panel dataset," MPRA Paper 101704, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Krammer, Sorin M.S., 2015. "Do good institutions enhance the effect of technological spillovers on productivity? Comparative evidence from developed and transition economies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 133-154.
    20. Dustin Chambers & Susan Hamer, 2012. "Culture And Growth: Some Empirical Evidence," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 64(4), pages 549-564, October.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:asiaec:v:35:y:2021:i:2:p:142-165. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/eaeaaea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.