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The Chinese Export Bundles - Patterns, Puzzles and Possible Explanations

Author

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  • Zhi Wang

    (Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations)

  • Shang-Jin Wei

Abstract

Chinas exports have become increasingly sophisticated. This has generated anxiety in developed countries as the competitive pressure may be increasingly felt outside labor-intensive industries. Using product-level data on exports from different cities within China, this paper investigates the contributing factors to the rising export sophistication. Somewhat surprisingly, neither processing trade nor foreign invested firms are found to play an important role in generating the increased overlap in the export structure between China and high-income countries. Instead, improvement in human capital and government policies in the form of tax-favored high-tech zones appear to be the key in the countrys evolving export structure. On the other hand, processing trade, foreign invested firms, and government-sponsored high-tech zones all have contributed significantly to raising the unit values of Chinas exports within a given product category.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhi Wang & Shang-Jin Wei, 2008. "The Chinese Export Bundles - Patterns, Puzzles and Possible Explanations," Macroeconomics Working Papers 22275, East Asian Bureau of Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:eab:macroe:22275
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ricardo Hausmann & Jason Hwang & Dani Rodrik, 2007. "What you export matters," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 1-25, March.
    2. Zhi Wang & Shang-Jin Wei, 2010. "What Accounts for the Rising Sophistication of China's Exports?," NBER Chapters, in: China's Growing Role in World Trade, pages 63-104, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Robert Koopman & Zhi Wang & Shang-Jin Wei, 2008. "How Much of Chinese Exports is Really Made In China? Assessing Domestic Value-Added When Processing Trade is Pervasive," NBER Working Papers 14109, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Peter K. Schott, 2006. "The Relative Sophistication of Chinese Exports," NBER Working Papers 12173, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Long, Cheryl & Hale, Galina, 2006. "What Determines Technological Spillovers of Foreign Direct Investment: Evidence from China," Center Discussion Papers 28412, Yale University, Economic Growth Center.
    6. Lionel Fontagné & Guillaume Gaulier & Soledad Zignago, 2007. "Specialisation across Varieties within Products and North-South Competition," Working Papers 2007-06, CEPII research center.
    7. Raymond Fisman & Shang-Jin Wei, 2004. "Tax Rates and Tax Evasion: Evidence from "Missing Imports" in China," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 112(2), pages 471-500, April.
    8. Peter K. Schott, 2004. "Across-Product Versus Within-Product Specialization in International Trade," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 119(2), pages 647-678.
    9. Dani Rodrik, 2006. "What's So Special about China's Exports?," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 14(5), pages 1-19, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Zhuqing Liu & Jiadong Tong, 2023. "Housing Boom, Dutch Disease, and the Decline in China's Manufacturing Exports," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 31(3), pages 205-229, May.

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    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade

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