IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/emeeco/v15y2023i2p234-253.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Chinese Outward Foreign Direct Investment and Innovation in Host Countries: Evidence from Countries Along the Belt and Road

Author

Listed:
  • Yanyan Sun
  • Sha Fan

Abstract

Foreign direct investment (FDI) can benefit innovation activity in host countries through spillover channels, such as reverse engineering, demonstration effects, and supplier–customer relationships. Using data from 26 countries along the Belt and Road route (BRCs) and 32 non-BRCs, we identified positive causal effects of the Chinese outward FDI on the innovation capacities in technology-intensive industries of both BRCs and non-BRCs. However, this effect varies depending on the host countries’ economic development levels. The impact of Chinese OFDI on the general innovation performance in host countries is absent. Meanwhile, the implementation of the BRI has on the whole, a negative impact on BRCs’ innovation performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Yanyan Sun & Sha Fan, 2023. "Chinese Outward Foreign Direct Investment and Innovation in Host Countries: Evidence from Countries Along the Belt and Road," Global Journal of Emerging Market Economies, Emerging Markets Forum, vol. 15(2), pages 234-253, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:emeeco:v:15:y:2023:i:2:p:234-253
    DOI: 10.1177/09749101231167356
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/09749101231167356
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/09749101231167356?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. Wu, Jie & Ma, Zhenzhong & Zhuo, Shuaihe, 2017. "Enhancing national innovative capacity: The impact of high-tech international trade and inward foreign direct investment," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(3), pages 502-514.
    2. Justin Yifu Lin, 2011. "New Structural Economics: A Framework for Rethinking Development," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 26(2), pages 193-221, August.
    3. Xiaowen Tian, 2007. "Accounting for sources of FDI technology spillovers: evidence from China," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 38(1), pages 147-159, January.
    4. Samina Sabir & Anum Rafique & Kamran Abbas, 2019. "Institutions and FDI: evidence from developed and developing countries," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 5(1), pages 1-20, December.
    5. Yasser Abdih & Frederick Joutz, 2006. "Relating the Knowledge Production Function to Total Factor Productivity: An Endogenous Growth Puzzle," IMF Staff Papers, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 53(2), pages 1-3.
    6. Xiaolan Fu, 2008. "Foreign Direct Investment, Absorptive Capacity and Regional Innovation Capabilities: Evidence from China," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(1), pages 89-110.
    7. Alberto Abadie, 2005. "Semiparametric Difference-in-Differences Estimators," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 72(1), pages 1-19.
    8. Furman, Jeffrey L. & Hayes, Richard, 2004. "Catching up or standing still?: National innovative productivity among 'follower' countries, 1978-1999," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(9), pages 1329-1354, November.
    9. Blalock, Garrick & Gertler, Paul J., 2008. "Welfare gains from Foreign Direct Investment through technology transfer to local suppliers," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(2), pages 402-421, March.
    10. Philippe Aghion & Christopher Harris & Peter Howitt & John Vickers, 2001. "Competition, Imitation and Growth with Step-by-Step Innovation," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 68(3), pages 467-492.
    11. Crescenzi, Riccardo & Gagliardi, Luisa & Iammarino, Simona, 2015. "Foreign multinationals and domestic innovation: Intra-industry effects and firm heterogeneity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(3), pages 596-609.
    12. Yan Wu & Chunlai Chen & Cong Hu, 2021. "Does the Belt and Road Initiative Increase the Carbon Emission Intensity of Participating Countries?," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 29(3), pages 1-25, May.
    13. Alberto Abadie & David Drukker & Jane Leber Herr & Guido W. Imbens, 2004. "Implementing matching estimators for average treatment effects in Stata," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 4(3), pages 290-311, September.
    14. John C. Driscoll & Aart C. Kraay, 1998. "Consistent Covariance Matrix Estimation With Spatially Dependent Panel Data," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 80(4), pages 549-560, November.
    15. Fulvio Castellacci, 2011. "Closing the Technology Gap?," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(1), pages 180-197, February.
    16. Shao, Xu, 2020. "Chinese OFDI responses to the B&R initiative: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    17. Lloyd, P. J. & MacLaren, D., 2002. "Measures of trade openness using CGE analysis," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 67-81, March.
    18. García, Francisco & Jin, Byungchae & Salomon, Robert, 2013. "Does inward foreign direct investment improve the innovative performance of local firms?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 231-244.
    19. Wang, Cassandra C. & Wu, Aiqi, 2016. "Geographical FDI knowledge spillover and innovation of indigenous firms in China," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 895-906.
    20. Hsu, Po-Hsuan & Tian, Xuan & Xu, Yan, 2014. "Financial development and innovation: Cross-country evidence," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(1), pages 116-135.
    21. Furman, Jeffrey L. & Porter, Michael E. & Stern, Scott, 2002. "The determinants of national innovative capacity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(6), pages 899-933, August.
    22. Daniel Hoechle, 2007. "Robust standard errors for panel regressions with cross-sectional dependence," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 7(3), pages 281-312, September.
    23. Zhang, Lin, 2017. "The knowledge spillover effects of FDI on the productivity and efficiency of research activities in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 1-14.
    24. Anderson, T. W. & Hsiao, Cheng, 1982. "Formulation and estimation of dynamic models using panel data," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 47-82, 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. Vujanović, Nina & Radošević, Slavo & Stojčić, Nebojša & Hisarciklilar, Mehtap & Hashi, Iraj, 2022. "FDI spillover effects on innovation activities of knowledge using and knowledge creating firms: Evidence from an emerging economy," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    2. Benzaim, Samia & Ftiti, Zied & Khedhaouria, Anis & Djermane, Rebai, 2023. "US foreign investments: Technology transfer, relative backwardness, and the productivity growth of host countries," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 275-295.
    3. Shusen Qi & Kent Ngan‐Cheung Hui & Steven Ongena, 2023. "Inter‐industry FDI spillovers from foreign banks: Evidence in transition economies," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 52(1), pages 97-126, March.
    4. AM.Priyangani Adikari & Haiyun Liu & MMSA. Marasinghe, 2021. "Inward Foreign Direct Investment-Induced Technological Innovation in Sri Lanka? Empirical Evidence Using ARDL Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-16, June.
    5. Haiwei Jiang & Yousha Liang & Shiyuan Pan, 2022. "Foreign direct investment and regional innovation: Evidence from China," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(6), pages 1876-1909, June.
    6. Chen, Yongmin & Jiang, Haiwei & Liang, Yousha & Pan, Shiyuan, 2022. "The impact of foreign direct investment on innovation: Evidence from patent filings and citations in China," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(4), pages 917-945.
    7. Kumar, Sanjesh & Singh, Baljeet, 2019. "Barriers to the international diffusion of technological innovations," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 74-86.
    8. Raffaella Santolini, 2017. "Electoral Rules And Public Spending Composition: The Case Of Italian Regions," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 35(3), pages 551-577, July.
    9. Dilla, Diana, 2017. "Staatsverschuldung und Verschuldungsmentalität [Public Debt and Debt Mentality]," MPRA Paper 79432, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Rui Guo & Lutao Ning & Kaihua Chen, 2022. "How do human capital and R&D structure facilitate FDI knowledge spillovers to local firm innovation? a panel threshold approach," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(6), pages 1921-1947, December.
    11. Wen Yue, 2022. "Foreign direct investment and the innovation performance of local enterprises," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-9, December.
    12. Sèna Kimm Gnangnon, 2020. "Comparative Advantage Following (CAF) development strategy, Aid for Trade flows and structural change in production," Journal of Economic Structures, Springer;Pan-Pacific Association of Input-Output Studies (PAPAIOS), vol. 9(1), pages 1-29, December.
    13. Wu, Jie & Zahoor, Nadia & Khan, Zaheer & Meyer, Martin, 2023. "The effects of inward FDI communities on the research and development intensity of emerging market locally domiciled firms: Partial foreign ownership as a contingency," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    14. Alvina Sabah Idrees & Saima Sarwar, 2021. "State effectiveness, property rights and entrepreneurial behaviour as determinants of National Innovation," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(3), pages 392-423, September.
    15. Ning, Lutao & Wang, Fan & Li, Jian, 2016. "Urban innovation, regional externalities of foreign direct investment and industrial agglomeration: Evidence from Chinese cities," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(4), pages 830-843.
    16. Yipeng Zhang, 2023. "The Sustainability of Regional Innovation in China: Insights from Regional Innovation Values and Their Spatial Distribution," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-42, June.
    17. Neves, Pedro Cunha & Sequeira, Tiago Neves, 2018. "Spillovers in the production of knowledge: A meta-regression analysis," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(4), pages 750-767.
    18. Shihong Zeng & Ya Zhou, 2021. "Foreign Direct Investment’s Impact on China’s Economic Growth, Technological Innovation and Pollution," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-24, March.
    19. Njangang, Henri & Asongu, Simplice & Tadadjeu, Sosson & Nounamo, Yann, 2021. "Is financial development shaping or shaking economic sophistication in African countries?," MPRA Paper 110132, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. Yi Zhang, 2019. "Institutions, Firm Characteristics, and FDI Spillovers," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(5), pages 1109-1136, April.

    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:sae:emeeco:v:15:y:2023:i:2:p:234-253. 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: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.emergingmarketsforum.org/ .

    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.