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Testing the Neoclassical Theory of Economic Growth: Evidence from Chinese Provinces

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  • Hong Li
  • Zinan Liu
  • Ivonia Rebelo

Abstract

There has been renewed empirical work recently on testing the neoclassical model of economic growth using data on various groups of countries. But none of the cross-country regressions includes China, the largest developing economy in the world. This study utilises both cross-sectional and panel data on provinces of China over the reform period 1978–1995 to examine the extent to which the growth process in this country can be explained by the augmented Solow-Swan model. We found that in spite of restrictive assumptions used, the model provides a fairly good description of cross-sectional data. The levels and growth rates of GDP per capita are shown to be higher in regional economies with lower population growth, greater openness to foreign countries and more investment in physical and human capital. In addition, regional economies are shown to converge both conditionally and unconditionally over the reform period. However, the quantitative implications of the augmented Solow-Swan model are not borne out in panel data. Copyright Kluwer Academic Publishers 1998

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  • Hong Li & Zinan Liu & Ivonia Rebelo, 1998. "Testing the Neoclassical Theory of Economic Growth: Evidence from Chinese Provinces," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 31(2), pages 117-132, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:ecopln:v:31:y:1998:i:2:p:117-132
    DOI: 10.1023/A:1003571107706
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    3. Sai Ding & John Knight, 2011. "Why has China Grown So Fast? The Role of Physical and Human Capital Formation," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 73(2), pages 141-174, April.
    4. John Knight & Sai Ding, 2008. "Why has China Grown so Fast? The Role of Structural Change," Economics Series Working Papers 415, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
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    7. Lemoine, Françoise & Poncet, Sandra & Ünal, Deniz, 2015. "Spatial rebalancing and industrial convergence in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 39-63.
    8. Jahangir Aziz & Christoph Duenwald, 2001. "China's Provincial Growth Dynamics," Development and Comp Systems 0012004, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Jones, Derek C. & Li, Cheng & Owen, Ann L., 2003. "Growth and regional inequality in China during the reform era," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 14(2), pages 186-200.
    10. Marwah, Kanta & Tavakoli, Akbar, 2004. "The effect of foreign capital and imports on economic growth: further evidence from four Asian countries (1970-1998)," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 15(2), pages 399-413, April.
    11. Stephen Dobson & Carlyn Ramlogan & Eric Strobl, 2006. "Why Do Rates Of Β‐Convergence Differ? A Meta‐Regression Analysis," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 53(2), pages 153-173, May.
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    13. Roghieh Gholami & Sang-Yong Lee & Almas Heshmati, 2005. "The Causal Relationship between ICT and FDI," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2005-26, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
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