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The Effect of Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) on the extensive and intensive margins of exports

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  • Xiong, Tingting

Abstract

This paper investigates the effect of BITs on the extensive and intensive product margins of exports, utilizing ordinary least squares (OLS) and Poisson pseudo-maximum-likelihood (PPML) estimator with fixed effects approaches to estimate the gravity equations. The model in this paper theoretically demonstrates that investment liberalization increases the extensive margin by lowering the variable costs of selling abroad, but decreases the intensive margin by lowering both the fixed investment costs and the variable costs. Using a detailed dataset of 210 countries/regions from 1988 to 2006, this paper provides empirical evidence that BITs promote exports. This paper also empirically supports the theoretical propositions that BITs increase the extensive margin of exports from developed countries while decreasing the intensive margin of exports.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiong, Tingting, 2022. "The Effect of Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) on the extensive and intensive margins of exports," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 68-79.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:quaeco:v:84:y:2022:i:c:p:68-79
    DOI: 10.1016/j.qref.2022.01.003
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs); Extensive margin of trade; Intensive margin of trade; Poisson pseudo-maximum-likelihood (PPML);
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • F21 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Investment; Long-Term Capital Movements
    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business

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