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Tunneling through related-party loan guarantees: evidence from a quasi-experiment in China

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  • Wei Huang

    (Nottingham University Business School China)

Abstract

We use the balance of outstanding related-party loan guarantees (RPLG) issued by Chinese listed firms as a direct measure of tunneling. By adopting institutional perspectives and a difference-in-differences approach, we show that firms increased RPLG after the 2008 enterprise income tax reform. More importantly, domestic firms had larger increases of RPLG compared to foreign-invested firms during the post-reform period. This treatment effect is in line with domestic firms’ higher exposures to weak corporate governance, inefficient banking system, and weak legal environment in China. Further analysis shows that the treatment effect is stronger for private controlled domestic firms than government controlled domestic firms. Finally, the propensity of tunneling also increased after the tax reform for all types of firms but the treatment effects on the propensity of tunneling are insignificant. Our findings are robust in models control for firm exposure to the global financial crisis of 2008–2009.

Suggested Citation

  • Wei Huang, 2016. "Tunneling through related-party loan guarantees: evidence from a quasi-experiment in China," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 47(3), pages 857-884, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:rqfnac:v:47:y:2016:i:3:d:10.1007_s11156-015-0523-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s11156-015-0523-3
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    Cited by:

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    2. Mohd Mohid Rahmat & Kamran Ahmed & Gerald J. Lobo, 2020. "Related Party Transactions, Value Relevance and Informativeness of Earnings: Evidence from Four Economies in East Asia," Review of Pacific Basin Financial Markets and Policies (RPBFMP), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 23(01), pages 1-42, March.
    3. Sen Lin & Fengqin Chen & Lihong Wang, 2020. "Identity of multiple large shareholders and corporate governance: are state-owned entities efficient MLS?," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 55(4), pages 1305-1340, November.
    4. Vinh Q. T. Dang & Isaac Otchere & Erin P. K. So & Isabel K. M. Yan, 2021. "Not all shadow banking is bad! Evidence from credit intermediation of non-financial Chinese firms," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 57(4), pages 1437-1462, November.
    5. Anderson, Hamish & Chi, Jing & Liao, Jing, 2019. "Foreign strategic ownership and minority shareholder protection," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 34-49.
    6. Donghua Chen & Xuerui Wei & Huimin Wang, 2022. "Controlling shareholder’s ownership, control rights and related-party transactions – analysis of regulatory effects based on board characteristics," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 18(4), pages 1577-1604, December.
    7. Sen Lin & Fengqin Chen & Lihong Wang, 0. "Identity of multiple large shareholders and corporate governance: are state-owned entities efficient MLS?," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 0, pages 1-36.
    8. Amon Chizema & Wei Jiang & Jing-Ming Kuo & Xiaoqi Song, 2020. "Mutual funds, tunneling and firm performance: evidence from China," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 55(1), pages 355-387, July.
    9. Wei Huang & Tingting Ying & Yun Shen, 2018. "Executive cash compensation and tax aggressiveness of Chinese firms," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 51(4), pages 1151-1180, November.
    10. Abdul Rasheed P C & T. Mallikarjunappa & K.T. Thomachan, 2019. "Promoter Ownership, Related Party Transactions and Firm Performance: A Study Among Selected Companies in India," FIIB Business Review, , vol. 8(3), pages 205-217, September.
    11. Lanlan Liu & Dan Luo & Liang Han, 2019. "Default risk, state ownership and the cross-section of stock returns: evidence from China," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 53(4), pages 933-966, November.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Tunneling; Related-party; Tax; China;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation

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