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Evaluating the effectiveness of China's financial reform—The efficiency of China's domestic banks

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  • HSIAO, Cheng
  • SHEN, Yan
  • BIAN, Wenlong

Abstract

This paper estimates the cost and profit efficiency of the Chinese domestic banking sector to evaluate the effectiveness of China's financial reforms since 1978. We use the performance of foreign banks as the benchmark because foreign banks, subject to intensive worldwide competition, are perceived as possessing superior governing structure and organization, more advanced technologies and better trained labor force. On the other hand, competition in China's banking sector is mainly in the form of nonprice measures, thus putting foreign banks at a disadvantage. We find domestic banks have gradually caught up the cost advantage of foreign banks in a manner consistent with the increased competitive pressure. On the other hand, the profit advantage of domestic banks over foreign banks is widening because of institutional arrangements, cultural and social networks as well as the profit scope and revenue scale economy.

Suggested Citation

  • HSIAO, Cheng & SHEN, Yan & BIAN, Wenlong, 2015. "Evaluating the effectiveness of China's financial reform—The efficiency of China's domestic banks," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 70-82.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:chieco:v:35:y:2015:i:c:p:70-82
    DOI: 10.1016/j.chieco.2015.05.006
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    2. Yongyuan Ma & Ao Shen & Qingyuan Zhu & Peng Wang, 2022. "Media environment, venture capital, and technological innovation: Evidence from China," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(6), pages 1734-1747, September.
    3. Chen, Zhongfei & Matousek, Roman & Wanke, Peter, 2018. "Chinese bank efficiency during the global financial crisis: A combined approach using satisficing DEA and Support Vector Machines☆," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 71-86.
    4. Zhang, Longyao & Hsu, Sara & Xu, Zhong & Cheng, Enjiang, 2020. "Responding to financial crisis: Bank credit expansion with Chinese characteristics," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    5. Xie, Qiwei & Xu, Qifan & Chen, Lifan & Jin, Xi & Li, Siqi & Li, Yongjun, 2022. "Efficiency evaluation of China's listed commercial banks based on a multi-period leader-follower model," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Financial reform; Efficiency; Stochastic frontier analysis;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages

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