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Estimating transport costs and trade barriers in China: Direct edvidence from Chinese agricultural traders

Author

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  • Zhigang Li
  • Xiaohua Yu
  • Yinchu Zeng
  • Rainer Holst

Abstract

Using unique survey data on agricultural traders in China in 2004, this study provides direct evidence on the significance of inter-regional trade barriers and their key components. Our major findings are as follows. (1) The trade barriers within China are fairly small, accounting for about 20 percent of trade value. (2) Transport-related costs and artificial barriers contribute about equally to the trade barriers. (3) Labor and government taxes are the two largest proportions of total transport costs, and account for 35% and 30%, respectively. (4) Road quality is crucial for reducing transport costs within China. Increasing transport speed by 1 km per hour would, mainly due to improved fuel-burning efficiency and reduced labor requirements, decrease total transport costs for Chinese agricultural traders by 0.6 percent.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhigang Li & Xiaohua Yu & Yinchu Zeng & Rainer Holst, 2012. "Estimating transport costs and trade barriers in China: Direct edvidence from Chinese agricultural traders," Working Papers 1209, BBVA Bank, Economic Research Department.
    • Handle: RePEc:bbv:wpaper:1209
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    Cited by:

    1. Li, Han & Li, Zhigang, 2013. "Road investments and inventory reduction: Firm level evidence from China," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 43-52.
    2. Qing Zhang & Juan Li & Tiaojun Xiao, 2022. "Contract design for technology sharing between two farmers," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 314(2), pages 677-707, July.
    3. Steffen, Christoph & Yu, Xiaohua, 2018. "Transaction Costs and Food Prices in Rural Kenya," Department of Agricultural and Rural Development (DARE) Discussion Papers 274537, Georg-August-Universitaet Goettingen, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development (DARE).
    4. Li, Zhigang & Wu, Mingqin & Chen, Bin R., 2017. "Is road infrastructure investment in China excessive? Evidence from productivity of firms," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 116-126.
    5. Robert Holzmann & Richard Hinz & David Tuesta, 2012. "Early Lessons from Country Experience with Matching Contribution Schemes for Pensions," Working Papers 1231, BBVA Bank, Economic Research Department.
    6. Yu Qin, 2016. "China's Transport Infrastructure Investment: Past, Present, and Future," Asian Economic Policy Review, Japan Center for Economic Research, vol. 11(2), pages 199-217, July.
    7. Yuan, Hang & Wang, Kun & Yang, Hangjun, 2022. "Rail's efficiency gain by separating affiliated businesses and its impact on product mix of export by rail," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 126-140.
    8. Xiaoheng Zhang & Ping Qing & Xiaohua Yu, 2019. "Short supply chain participation and market performance for vegetable farmers in China," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 63(2), pages 282-306, April.
    9. Imran Ur Rahman & Mohsin Shafi & Liu Junrong & Enitilina Tatiani M.K. Fetuu & Shah Fahad & Buddhi Prasad Sharma, 2021. "Infrastructure and Trade: An Empirical Study Based on China and Selected Asian Economies," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(3), pages 21582440211, July.
    10. Ma, Kai & Zhao, Lei, 2024. "The impact of new energy transportation means on China's food import," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    11. Xuechao Sui & Xianhui Geng, 2021. "Continuous usage intention to e-transaction cards in wholesale markets of agriproducts: empirical evidence from China," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 1-13, December.
    12. Rubo Zhao & Yixiang Tian & Ao Lei & Francis Boadu & Ze Ren, 2019. "The Effect of Local Government Debt on Regional Economic Growth in China: A Nonlinear Relationship Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-22, May.
    13. Jin, Gang & Yu, Binbin & Shen, Kunrong, 2021. "Domestic trade and energy productivity in China: An inverted U-shaped relationship," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    14. Li, Zhigang & Chen, Yu, 2013. "Estimating the social return to transport infrastructure: A price-difference approach applied to a quasi-experiment," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 669-683.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    transport costs; China; agricultural traders; infrastructure;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies
    • R21 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Housing Demand
    • R28 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Government Policy

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