IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/plo/pone00/0273875.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Like the new and hate the old: The impact of fiscal decentralization on regional development strategy

Author

Listed:
  • Min Liu
  • Feng Gong
  • Wenjing Song

Abstract

This paper evaluates the impact of China’s fiscal decentralization reform, namely the “Province-Managing-County” (PMC) fiscal reform, on local governments’ regional development strategy using county-level data in China covering 2000 to 2013. Surprisingly, after implementing the PMC fiscal reform, local governments will adjust their strategy of supporting zombie firms and attracting new firms, indicating that fiscal decentralization has changed the regional development strategies of local governments. We perform a difference-in-differences (DID) analysis and find that the PMC fiscal reform materially induces an average rise of 0.131 in newly added firms, an average decline of 0.383 in zombie firms, and no significant change in other firms. There is a pronounced substitution effect between zombie firms and newly added firms. We also find evidence supporting this argument: the government’s subsidy, tax treatment, and financial support. Our study provides empirical evidence that local governments’ regional development strategies can be affected by fiscal decentralization.

Suggested Citation

  • Min Liu & Feng Gong & Wenjing Song, 2022. "Like the new and hate the old: The impact of fiscal decentralization on regional development strategy," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(9), pages 1-23, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0273875
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273875
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0273875
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0273875&type=printable
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1371/journal.pone.0273875?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Candau, Fabien & Dienesch, Elisa, 2017. "Pollution Haven and Corruption Paradise," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 171-192.
    2. Thorsten Beck & Ross Levine & Alexey Levkov, 2010. "Big Bad Banks? The Winners and Losers from Bank Deregulation in the United States," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 65(5), pages 1637-1667, October.
    3. He, Qichun & Sun, Meng, 2014. "Does fiscal decentralization promote the inflow of FDI in China?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 361-371.
    4. Ryan Niladri Banerjee & Boris Hofmann, 2018. "The rise of zombie firms: causes and consequences," BIS Quarterly Review, Bank for International Settlements, September.
    5. Thushyanthan Baskaran, 2010. "On the link between fiscal decentralization and public debt in OECD countries," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 145(3), pages 351-378, December.
    6. Ivanyna, Maksym & Shah, Anwar, 2014. "How close is your government to its people? Worldwide indicators on localization and decentralization," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), vol. 8, pages 1-61.
    7. Zhen Xu & Jianbai Huang & Feitao Jiang, 2017. "Subsidy competition, industrial land price distortions and overinvestment: empirical evidence from China’s manufacturing enterprises," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(48), pages 4851-4870, October.
    8. Song, Malin & Xie, Qianjiao & Chen, Jiandong, 2022. "Effects of government competition on land prices under opening up conditions: A case study of the Huaihe River ecological economic belt," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    9. Rong, Shu & Liu, Kai & Huang, Si & Zhang, Qi, 2020. "FDI, labor market flexibility and employment in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    10. Guangrong Ma & Jie Mao, 2018. "Fiscal Decentralisation and Local Economic Growth: Evidence from a Fiscal Reform in China," Fiscal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 39(1), pages 159-187, March.
    11. Zhao, Chuanmin & Xie, Rui & Ma, Chunbo & Han, Feng, 2022. "Understanding the haze pollution effects of China's development zone program," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    12. Zélity, Balázs, 2022. "The welfare effects of FDI: A quantitative analysis," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 293-320.
    13. Cai, Guowei & Zhang, Xuejiao & Yang, Hao, 2022. "Fiscal stress and the formation of zombie firms: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    14. Ricardo J. Caballero & Takeo Hoshi & Anil K. Kashyap, 2008. "Zombie Lending and Depressed Restructuring in Japan," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 98(5), pages 1943-1977, December.
    15. Hongbin Cai & Qiao Liu, 2009. "Competition and Corporate Tax Avoidance: Evidence from Chinese Industrial Firms," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 119(537), pages 764-795, April.
    16. Zeng, Dao-Zhi & Zhao, Laixun, 2009. "Pollution havens and industrial agglomeration," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 58(2), pages 141-153, September.
    17. Guofu Tan & Justin Yifu Lin, 1999. "Policy Burdens, Accountability, and the Soft Budget Constraint," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 89(2), pages 426-431, May.
    18. Huang, Bin & Gao, Mengmeng & Xu, Caiqun & Zhu, Yu, 2017. "The impact of Province-Managing-County fiscal reform on primary education in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 45-61.
    19. Chen, Zhao & Kahn, Matthew E. & Liu, Yu & Wang, Zhi, 2018. "The consequences of spatially differentiated water pollution regulation in China," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 468-485.
    20. Chengrui Xiao, 2020. "Intergovernmental revenue relations, tax enforcement and tax shifting: evidence from China," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 27(1), pages 128-152, February.
    21. Chang, Qingqing & Zhou, Yisihong & Liu, Guangqiang & Wang, Di & Zhang, Xiaojie, 2021. "How does government intervention affect the formation of zombie firms?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 768-779.
    22. Dai, Xiaoyong & Qiao, Xiaole & Song, Lin, 2019. "Zombie firms in China's coal mining sector: Identification, transition determinants and policy implications," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 664-673.
    23. Luo, Changyuan & Luo, Qin & Zeng, Shuai, 2022. "Bilateral tax agreement and FDI inflows: Evidence from Hong Kong investment in the Mainland China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    24. Zhang, Tao & Zou, Heng-fu, 1998. "Fiscal decentralization, public spending, and economic growth in China," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(2), pages 221-240, February.
    25. Lu, Hongyou & Liu, Min & Song, Wenjing, 2022. "Place-based policies, government intervention, and regional innovation: Evidence from China's Resource-Exhausted City program," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    26. Ghulam Ghouse & Saud Ahmed Khan, 2017. "Tracing dynamic linkages and spillover effect between Pakistani and leading foreign stock markets," Review of Financial Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 35(1), pages 29-42, November.
    27. Tian, Yanping & Song, Wenjing & Liu, Min, 2021. "Assessment of how environmental policy affects urban innovation: Evidence from China’s low-carbon pilot cities program," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 41-56.
    28. Yu, Jihai & Zhou, Li-An & Zhu, Guozhong, 2016. "Strategic interaction in political competition: Evidence from spatial effects across Chinese cities," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 23-37.
    29. Bailey, Nicholas, 2018. "Exploring the relationship between institutional factors and FDI attractiveness: A meta-analytic review," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 139-148.
    30. Marques, António Cardoso & Caetano, Rafaela Vital, 2022. "Do greater amounts of FDI cause higher pollution levels? Evidence from OECD countries," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 147-162.
    31. Jing Xing & Clemens Fuest, 2018. "Central-local government fiscal relations and cyclicality of public spending: evidence from China," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 25(4), pages 946-980, August.
    32. Ghouse, Ghulam & Khan, Saud Ahmed, 2017. "Tracing dynamic linkages and spillover effect between Pakistani and leading foreign stock markets," Review of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 29-42.
    33. Wen Wang & Xinye Zheng & Zhirong Zhao, 2012. "Fiscal Reform and Public Education Spending: A Quasi-natural Experiment of Fiscal Decentralization in China," Publius: The Journal of Federalism, CSF Associates Inc., vol. 42(2), pages 334-356, April.
    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. Li, Lei & Luo, Changtuo, 2023. "Does administrative decentralization promote outward foreign direct investment and productivity? Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    2. Shangming Yang & Yanjiang Zhang & Jinyuan Zhang & Bochao Zhang, 2024. "Technology accessibility and the local government's incentive to aid zombie firms in China," Economics of Transition and Institutional Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 32(2), pages 501-523, April.
    3. Jin, Haizhen, 2023. "Effects of decentralization on firm performance: Evidence from Chinese county-level quasi-experiments," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    4. Jing Bu & Julan Du & Jiancai Pi, 2024. "Do zombie firms affect healthy firms' exporting? Evidence from China," Economics of Transition and Institutional Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 32(3), pages 707-738, July.
    5. Feng, Ling & Lang, Henan & Pei, Tingting, 2022. "Zombie firms and corporate savings: Evidence from Chinese manufacturing firms," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 551-564.
    6. Wang, Changrong & Richardson, Grant & Cao, Yanming, 2024. "Long live the walking dead? Corporate tax avoidance and zombie firms in China," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(3).
    7. Haibing Huang & Yinliang Xu & Ying Sun & Jianxu Liu, 2023. "Empirical Analysis of China’s Agricultural Total Factor Productivity and the Reform of “County Administrated by Province”: Insights from Agricultural Enterprise Data," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-21, August.
    8. Tian, Yanping & Song, Wenjing & Liu, Min, 2021. "Assessment of how environmental policy affects urban innovation: Evidence from China’s low-carbon pilot cities program," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 41-56.
    9. Lu, Hongyou & Liu, Min & Song, Wenjing, 2022. "Place-based policies, government intervention, and regional innovation: Evidence from China's Resource-Exhausted City program," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    10. Jiang, Weijie & Li, Yidong, 2023. "Effect of fiscal decentralization on pollution reduction: Firm-level evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    11. Muhammad Shahid & Rukhsana Kalim, 2020. "Decentralized Tax Revenue, Institutional Complementarity and Economic Growth: A Time Series Analysis of Pakistan," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 10(4), pages 25-33.
    12. Zihan Hu & Min Wu & Dan Yang & Tao Luo & Yihao Tian, 2024. "How Resource-Exhausted Cities Get Out of the Innovation Bottom? Evidence from China," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-22, July.
    13. Geng, Yong & Liu, Wei & Wu, Yuzhao, 2021. "How do zombie firms affect China’s industrial upgrading?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 79-94.
    14. Joel Bowman, 2022. "The Life‐cycle Dynamics of Zombie Companies amongst Listed Firms in China," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 30(5), pages 185-205, September.
    15. Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & Santiago Lago-Peñas & Agnese Sacchi, 2017. "The Impact Of Fiscal Decentralization: A Survey," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 1095-1129, September.
    16. Wu, Qingyang & Chang, Siqi & Bai, Caiquan & Wei, Wendong, 2023. "How do zombie enterprises hinder climate change action plans in China?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    17. Yue Dong & Dipanwita Sarkar & Jayanta Sarkar, 2021. "Decentralization and health resource allocation: Quasi-experimental evidence from China," QuBE Working Papers 060, QUT Business School.
    18. Tan, Ruipeng & Zhu, Wenjun & Pan, Lulu & Wu, Huaqing, 2024. "Short selling and de-zombification: Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 93(PB), pages 86-102.
    19. Jiani Li & Jie Li & Tianhang Zhou, 2023. "State ownership and zombie firms: Evidence from China's 2008 stimulus plan," Economics of Transition and Institutional Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(4), pages 853-876, October.
    20. Qiao, Lu & Fei, Junjun, 2022. "Government subsidies, enterprise operating efficiency, and “stiff but deathless” zombie firms," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).

    More about this item

    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:plo:pone00:0273875. 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: plosone (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ .

    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.