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Foreign direct investment and wage differentials in Taiwan

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  • Lily Jiang
  • Yi-Pin Su

Abstract

The ease of restrictions on foreign direct investment in China since 1990 has attracted a continuous and dramatic flow of outward investment from Taiwan to the mainland. At the same time, the relative wages for skilled workers in Taiwan have risen mildly despite a rapid increase in the share of educated workers in its labor market. The aim of this paper is to explore the linkage between capital outflows to China and the wage share of skilled workers in Taiwan over the period 1991 - 2001. We find that the pattern of changes in relative wages is consistent with shifts in the relative demand for skilled labor. For the most part, the increases in the relative demand for skilled workers could be attributable to within-industry factors. Findings also indicate that outward direct investment to China has a significantly positive impact on the skilled labor wage share.

Suggested Citation

  • Lily Jiang & Yi-Pin Su, 2006. "Foreign direct investment and wage differentials in Taiwan," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(4), pages 525-536.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jitecd:v:15:y:2006:i:4:p:525-536
    DOI: 10.1080/09638190601037609
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Chen, Tain-Jy, 1992. "Determinants of Taiwan's direct foreign investment : The case of a newly industrializing country," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 397-407, October.
    2. Eli Berman & John Bound & Zvi Griliches, 1994. "Changes in the Demand for Skilled Labor within U. S. Manufacturing: Evidence from the Annual Survey of Manufactures," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 109(2), pages 367-397.
    3. Levin, Andrew & Lin, Chien-Fu & James Chu, Chia-Shang, 2002. "Unit root tests in panel data: asymptotic and finite-sample properties," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 108(1), pages 1-24, May.
    4. Feenstra, Robert C. & Hanson, Gordon H., 1997. "Foreign direct investment and relative wages: Evidence from Mexico's maquiladoras," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(3-4), pages 371-393, May.
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