IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/nbr/nberwo/11306.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

The Chinese Approach to Capital Inflows: Patterns and Possible Explanations

Author

Listed:
  • Eswar Prasad
  • Shang-Jin Wei

Abstract

In this paper, we adopt a cross-country perspective to examine the evolution of capital flows into China, both in terms of volumes and composition. China's inflows have generally been dominated by foreign direct investment (FDI), a pattern that appears to be favorable in light of the recent literature on the experiences of developing countries with financial globalization. We provide a detailed documentation of the evolution of China's capital controls, a proximate determinant of the pattern of capital inflows. We also discuss a number of other intriguing hypotheses that attempt to capture the "deeper" causes underlying China's approach to capital flows. In particular, we argue that some popular mercantilist-type arguments are inconsistent with the facts. We also analyze the recent rapid rise of China's international reserves and discuss its implications. Contrary to some popular perceptions, the dramatic surge in foreign exchange reserves since 2001 is mainly attributable to non-FDI capital inflows, rather than current account surpluses or FDI.

Suggested Citation

  • Eswar Prasad & Shang-Jin Wei, 2005. "The Chinese Approach to Capital Inflows: Patterns and Possible Explanations," NBER Working Papers 11306, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
  • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:11306
    Note: IFM ITI
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.nber.org/papers/w11306.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Claessens, Stijn & Dooley, Michael P & Warner, Andrew, 1995. "Portfolio Capital Flows: Hot or Cold?," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank Group, vol. 9(1), pages 153-174, January.
    2. Graciela L. Kaminsky & Carmen M. Reinhart & Carlos A. Végh, 2005. "When It Rains, It Pours: Procyclical Capital Flows and Macroeconomic Policies," NBER Chapters, in: NBER Macroeconomics Annual 2004, Volume 19, pages 11-82, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Morris Goldstein, 2004. "Adjusting China's Exchange Rate Policies," Working Paper Series WP04-1, Peterson Institute for International Economics.
    4. R. Gaston Gelos & Shang‐Jin Wei, 2005. "Transparency and International Portfolio Holdings," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 60(6), pages 2987-3020, December.
    5. Lane, Philip R. & Milesi-Ferretti, Gian Maria, 2001. "The external wealth of nations: measures of foreign assets and liabilities for industrial and developing countries," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(2), pages 263-294, December.
    6. Joshua Aizenman & Nancy Marion, 2004. "International Reserve Holdings with Sovereign Risk and Costly Tax Collection," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 114(497), pages 569-591, July.
    7. Michael Funke & Jörg Rahn, 2005. "Just How Undervalued is the Chinese Renminbi?," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(4), pages 465-489, April.
    8. Borensztein, E. & De Gregorio, J. & Lee, J-W., 1998. "How does foreign direct investment affect economic growth?1," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 115-135, June.
    9. Shang-Jin Wei, 2000. "How Taxing is Corruption on International Investors?," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 82(1), pages 1-11, February.
    10. International Monetary Fund, 2004. "People’s Republic of China: Staff Report for the 2004 Article IV Consultation," IMF Staff Country Reports 2004/351, International Monetary Fund.
    11. repec:zbw:bofitp:2004_014 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Morris Goldstein & Nicholas R. Lardy, 2004. "What Kind of Landing for the Chinese Economy?," Policy Briefs PB04-07, Peterson Institute for International Economics.
    13. Julan Du & Shang-Jin Wei, 2004. "Does Insider Trading Raise Market Volatility?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 114(498), pages 916-942, October.
    14. Hausmann, Ricardo & Fernández-Arias, Eduardo, 2000. "Foreign Direct Investment: Good Cholesterol?," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 1319, Inter-American Development Bank.
    15. Ms. Enrica Detragiache & Mr. Antonio Spilimbergo, 2001. "Crises and Liquidity: Evidence and Interpretation," IMF Working Papers 2001/002, International Monetary Fund.
    16. International Monetary Fund, 2004. "Republic of Mozambique: Staff Report for the 2003 Article IV Consultation," IMF Staff Country Reports 2004/050, International Monetary Fund.
    17. Mr. Ayhan Kose & Mr. Kenneth Rogoff & Mr. Eswar S Prasad & Shang-Jin Wei, 2003. "Effects of Financial Globalization on Developing Countries: Some Empirical Evidence," IMF Occasional Papers 2003/007, International Monetary Fund.
    18. Morris Goldstein & Nicholas R. Lardy, 2005. "China's Role in the Revived Bretton Woods System: A Case of Mistaken Identity," Working Paper Series WP05-2, Peterson Institute for International Economics.
    19. Frankel, Jeffrey, 2004. "On the Renminbi: The Choice between Adjustment under a Fixed Exchange Rate and Adustment under a Flexible Rate," Working Paper Series rwp04-037, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government.
    20. Mr. Eswar S Prasad & Mr. Qing Wang & Mr. Thomas Rumbaugh, 2005. "Putting the Cart Before the Horse? Capital Account Liberalization and Exchange Rate Flexibility in China," IMF Policy Discussion Papers 2005/001, International Monetary Fund.
    21. Shang-Jin Wei & Yi Wu, 2002. "Negative Alchemy? Corruption, Composition of Capital Flows, and Currency Crises," NBER Chapters, in: Preventing Currency Crises in Emerging Markets, pages 461-506, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    22. International Monetary Fund, 2004. "Rwanda: Staff Report for the 2004 Article IV Consultation," IMF Staff Country Reports 2004/382, International Monetary Fund.
    23. International Monetary Fund, 2004. "Republic of Kazakhstan: Staff Report for the 2004 Article IV Consultation," IMF Staff Country Reports 2004/339, International Monetary Fund.
    24. International Monetary Fund, 2004. "Nigeria: Staff Report for the 2004 Article IV Consultation," IMF Staff Country Reports 2004/239, International Monetary Fund.
    25. International Monetary Fund, 2004. "Guinea: Staff Report for the 2004 Article IV Consultation," IMF Staff Country Reports 2004/392, International Monetary Fund.
    26. Shang-Jin Wei & Ms. Irina Tytell, 2004. "Does Financial Globalization Induce Better Macroeconomic Policies?," IMF Working Papers 2004/084, International Monetary Fund.
    27. International Monetary Fund, 2004. "France: Staff Report for the 2004 Article IV Consultation," IMF Staff Country Reports 2004/343, International Monetary Fund.
    28. Michael P. Dooley & David Folkerts-Landau & Peter Garber, 2004. "The Revived Bretton Woods System: The Effects of Periphery Intervention and Reserve Management on Interest Rates & Exchange Rates in Center Countries," NBER Working Papers 10332, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    29. International Monetary Fund, 2004. "Republic of Palau: Staff Report for the 2003 Article IV Consultation," IMF Staff Country Reports 2004/085, International Monetary Fund.
    30. International Monetary Fund, 2004. "Republic of Estonia: Staff Report for the 2004 Article IV Consultation," IMF Staff Country Reports 2004/358, International Monetary Fund.
    31. International Monetary Fund, 2004. "Czech Republic: Staff Report for the 2004 Article IV Consultation," IMF Staff Country Reports 2004/266, International Monetary Fund.
    32. Mr. Eswar S Prasad, 2004. "China's Growth and Integration into the World Economy: Prospects and Challenges," IMF Occasional Papers 2004/006, International Monetary Fund.
    33. Lane, Philip & Milesi-Ferretti, Gian Maria, "undated". "External Wealth of Nations," Instructional Stata datasets for econometrics extwealth, Boston College Department of Economics.
    34. Shang‐Jin Wei, 2001. "Domestic Crony Capitalism and International Fickle Capital: Is There a Connection?," International Finance, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 4(1), pages 15-45.
    35. Mr. Marco Terrones & Mr. Eswar S Prasad & Mr. Ayhan Kose, 2003. "Financial Integration and Macroeconomic Volatility," IMF Working Papers 2003/050, International Monetary Fund.
    36. Ricardo Hausmann & Eduardo Fernández-Arias, 2000. "Foreign Direct Investment: Good Cholesterol?," Research Department Publications 4203, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department.
    37. Mody, Ashoka & Murshid, Antu Panini, 2005. "Growing up with capital flows," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(1), pages 249-266, January.
    38. Fukuda, Shin-ichi & Hoshi, Takeo & Ito, Takatoshi & Rose, Andrew, 2006. "International Finance," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 20(4), pages 455-458, December.
    39. Gunter, Frank R., 2004. "Capital flight from China: 1984-2001," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 63-85, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. M. Ayhan Kose & Eswar Prasad & Kenneth Rogoff & Shang-Jin Wei, 2009. "Financial Globalization: A Reappraisal," Panoeconomicus, Savez ekonomista Vojvodine, Novi Sad, Serbia, vol. 56(2), pages 143-197.
    2. Horst Siebert, 2007. "China: Coming to Grips with the New Global Player," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(6), pages 893-922, June.
    3. Mr. Steven V Dunaway & Mr. Vivek B. Arora, 2007. "Pension Reform in China: The Need for a New Approach," IMF Working Papers 2007/109, International Monetary Fund.
    4. Eswar S. Prasad & Kenneth Rogoff & Shang-Jin Wei & M. Ayhan Kose, 2007. "Financial Globalization, Growth and Volatility in Developing Countries," NBER Chapters, in: Globalization and Poverty, pages 457-516, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Robert M. Stern, 2011. "Trade in Financial Services—Has the IMF been Involved Constructively?," Margin: The Journal of Applied Economic Research, National Council of Applied Economic Research, vol. 5(1), pages 65-92, February.
    6. Kose, M. Ayhan & Prasad, Eswar & Rogoff, Kenneth & Wei, Shang-Jin, 2010. "Financial Globalization and Economic Policies," Handbook of Development Economics, in: Dani Rodrik & Mark Rosenzweig (ed.), Handbook of Development Economics, edition 1, volume 5, chapter 0, pages 4283-4359, Elsevier.
    7. Mr. Vassili Prokopenko & Mr. Etibar Jafarov & Ms. Anne Marie Gulde, 2004. "A Common Currency for Belarus and Russia?," IMF Working Papers 2004/228, International Monetary Fund.
    8. World Bank, 2006. "Timor-Leste Health Sector Review : Meeting Challenges and Improving Health Outcomes," World Bank Publications - Reports 14897, The World Bank Group.
    9. repec:onb:oenbwp:y:2006:i:11:b:1 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Faria, Andr & Mauro, Paolo, 2009. "Institutions and the external capital structure of countries," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 367-391, April.
    11. Hossain, Monzur, 2015. "Capital Flows to Least Developed Countries: What Matters?," Bangladesh Development Studies, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), vol. 38(2), pages 95-113, June.
    12. Daude, Christian & Fratzscher, Marcel, 2008. "The pecking order of cross-border investment," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(1), pages 94-119, January.
    13. William R. Cline, 2010. "Financial Globalization, Economic Growth, and the Crisis of 2007-09," Peterson Institute Press: All Books, Peterson Institute for International Economics, number 499, October.
    14. M Ayhan Kose & Eswar Prasad & Kenneth Rogoff & Shang-Jin Wei, 2009. "Financial Globalization: A Reappraisal," IMF Staff Papers, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 56(1), pages 8-62, April.
    15. Antoine Bouveret & Sana Mestiri & Henri Sterdyniak, 2006. "The Renminbi Equilibrium Exchange Rate: an agnostic view," Sciences Po publications 2006-13, Sciences Po.
    16. Kose, M. Ayhan & Prasad, Eswar S. & Terrones, Marco E., 2006. "How do trade and financial integration affect the relationship between growth and volatility?," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(1), pages 176-202, June.
    17. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/5121 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Mr. Norbert Funke & Mr. Faisal Ahmed & Mr. Rabah Arezki, 2005. "The Composition of Capital Flows: Is South Africa Different?," IMF Working Papers 2005/040, International Monetary Fund.
    19. Jinzhao Chen, 2009. "Beyond Cheap Talks: Assessing the Undervaluation of the Chinese Currency Between 1994 and 2007," Economie Internationale, CEPII research center, issue 119, pages 47-82.
    20. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/5378 is not listed on IDEAS
    21. Wei, Shang-Jin, 2006. "Connecting two views on financial globalization: Can we make further progress?," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 20(4), pages 459-481, December.
    22. Mathias Hoffmann, 2003. "Cross-country evidence on the link between the level of infrastructure and capital inflows," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(5), pages 515-526.
    23. Benoît Mercereau, 2005. "FDI Flows to Asia: Did the Dragon Crowd Out the Tigers?," IMF Working Papers 2005/189, International Monetary Fund.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • F2 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business
    • F3 - International Economics - - International Finance
    • F4 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    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:nbr:nberwo:11306. 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: the person in charge (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/nberrus.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.