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Are U.S. Exports Different from China's Exports? Evidence from Japan's Imports

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  • Kozo Koyota

    (Research Seminar in International Economics, University of Michigan)

Abstract

Are U.S. exports different from China's exports? If so, how? This paper attempts to answer this question, focusing on the quality, variety, and overlap of their products. Using product-level manufacturing import data from Japan, I find that the exports of China and the United States are similar in terms of variety. More than 85 percent of U.S. export products to Japan are commonly exported from China. However, U.S. exports are different from China's exports in terms of quality. A comparison with the European Union (EU) shows that U.S. exports are similar to EU exports in terms of both quality and variety when compared to Chinaàs exports. These results suggest that quality matters. Both the EU and the United States are better endowed with the factors needed to produce quality or are relatively more productive in producing quality products than China.

Suggested Citation

  • Kozo Koyota, 2008. "Are U.S. Exports Different from China's Exports? Evidence from Japan's Imports," Working Papers 576, Research Seminar in International Economics, University of Michigan.
    • Handle: RePEc:mie:wpaper:576
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    Cited by:

    1. Robert Z. Lawrence & Lawrence Edward, 2010. "Do Developed and Developing Countries Compete Head to Head in High Tech?," Working Paper Series WP10-8, Peterson Institute for International Economics.
    2. Kozo Kiyota & Sawako Maruyama & Mina Taniguchi, 2021. "The China syndrome: A cross‐country evidence," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(9), pages 2758-2792, September.
    3. Jorge Chami Batista & Yan Liu, 2017. "Export Quality and the Dynamics of North–South Competition," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(1), pages 207-232, January.
    4. Jorge Chami Batista & Yan Liu, 2016. "Export Quality And The Dynamics Of North-South Competition," Anais do XLII Encontro Nacional de Economia [Proceedings of the 42nd Brazilian Economics Meeting] 108, ANPEC - Associação Nacional dos Centros de Pós-Graduação em Economia [Brazilian Association of Graduate Programs in Economics].
    5. Eleydiane Maria Gomes Vale & João Mário De Franç, 2014. "Cones De Diversificação E Comércio Exterior: Uma Análise Sobre Diferenças Salariais E Competitividade Industrial No Nordeste E Sudeste Do Brasil," Anais do XLI Encontro Nacional de Economia [Proceedings of the 41st Brazilian Economics Meeting] 109, ANPEC - Associação Nacional dos Centros de Pós-Graduação em Economia [Brazilian Association of Graduate Programs in Economics].

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    Keywords

    China; America; trade; exports;
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