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Processing Trade Biases The Measurement Of Vertical Specialization In China

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  • Cuihong Yang
  • Erik Dietzenbacher
  • Jiansuo Pei
  • Xikang Chen
  • Kunfu Zhu
  • Zhipeng Tang

Abstract

Vertical specialization (VS) is often measured by the import contents of the exports, using an input-output (I-O) framework. Half of China's exports are processing exports, which largely depend on imported intermediate inputs and tie up upstream as well as downstream trade partners. Thus, one would expect to find strong VS for China. Using the 'ordinary' I-O tables, however, this is not the case. Because the production of processing exports is only a small part of total production, the average input structure in the I-O table hides the typical features of processing exports. Using adapted, tripartite I-O tables (for 2002 and 2007) in which the processing exports have been singled out, indeed reveals the expected strong VS in China.

Suggested Citation

  • Cuihong Yang & Erik Dietzenbacher & Jiansuo Pei & Xikang Chen & Kunfu Zhu & Zhipeng Tang, 2015. "Processing Trade Biases The Measurement Of Vertical Specialization In China," Economic Systems Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(1), pages 60-76, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:ecsysr:v:27:y:2015:i:1:p:60-76
    DOI: 10.1080/09535314.2014.955463
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Ya Liu & Yuhuan Zhao & Hao Li & Song Wang & Yongfeng Zhang & Ye Cao, 2018. "Economic Benefits and Environmental Costs of China's Exports: A Comparison with the USA Based on Network Analysis," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 26(4), pages 106-132, July.
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    6. Xiang Gao & Geoffrey J D Hewings & Cuihong Yang, 2022. "Offshore, re-shore, re-offshore: what happened to global manufacturing location between 2007 and 2014? [The gravity model]," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 15(2), pages 183-206.
    7. Yuwan Duan & Erik Dietzenbacher & Bart Los & Ruochen Dai, 2023. "Regional inequality in China during its rise as a giant exporter: A value chain analysis," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 63(1), pages 148-172, January.
    8. Maritza Sotomayor, 2016. "Vertical Specialization of Production: Critical Review and Empirical Evidence for the Mexican Manufacturing Industries 1994-2014," International Journal of Business and Social Research, LAR Center Press, vol. 6(2), pages 11-28, February.
    9. Chen, Quanrun & Chen, Xikang & Pei, Jiansuo & Yang, Cuihong & Zhu, Kunfu, 2020. "Estimating domestic content in China’s exports: Accounting for a dual-trade regime," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 43-54.
    10. He, Yaxing & Huo, Weidong & Yu, Jie, 2023. "Tracing the regional dual value chains: Measurement on the production position and evidence from China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    11. Liu, Bin & Wang, Dedong & Xu, Youquan & Liu, Chunlu & Luther, Mark, 2018. "Vertical specialisation measurement of energy embodied in international trade of the construction industry," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(PB), pages 689-700.
    12. Jiansuo Pei & Jan Oosterhaven & Erik Dietzenbacher, 2017. "Foreign exports, net interregional spillovers and Chinese regional supply chains," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 96(2), pages 281-298, June.
    13. Tian, Kailan & Dietzenbacher, Erik & Yan, Bingqian & Duan, Yuwan, 2020. "Upgrading or downgrading: China's regional carbon emission intensity evolution and its determinants," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    14. Stephen Chong & Rutger Hoekstra & Oscar Lemmers & Ilke Van Beveren & Marcel Van Den Berg & Ron Van Der Wal & Piet Verbiest, 2019. "The role of small- and medium-sized enterprises in the Dutch economy: an analysis using an extended supply and use table," Journal of Economic Structures, Springer;Pan-Pacific Association of Input-Output Studies (PAPAIOS), vol. 8(1), pages 1-24, December.
    15. Maritza Sotomayor, 2016. "Vertical Specialization of Production: Critical Review and Empirical Evidence for the Mexican Manufacturing Industries 1994-2014," International Journal of Business and Social Research, MIR Center for Socio-Economic Research, vol. 6(2), pages 11-28, February.
    16. Ortiz, Mateo & Cadarso, María-Ángeles & López, Luis-Antonio & Jiang, Xuemei, 2022. "The trade-off between the economic and environmental footprints of multinationals’ foreign affiliates," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 85-97.
    17. Duan, Yuwan & Dietzenbacher, Erik & Los, Bart & Yang, Cuihong, 2021. "How much did China's emergence as “the world's factory” contribute to its national income?," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    18. Duan, Yuwan & Yan, Bingqian, 2021. "Has processing trade made China's exports cleaner? A regional level analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).

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