IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/fpr/ifprid/1407.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Evolving public expenditure in Chinese agriculture: Definition, pattern, composition, and mechanism:

Author

Listed:
  • Yu, Bingxin
  • Chen, Kevin Z.
  • Zhang, Yumei
  • Zhang, Haisen

Abstract

The Chinese economy has recently experienced a rapid and fundamental transformation, and the public expenditure on agriculture has also changed to reflect shifts in policy priorities. This paper reviewed public agricultural expenditure in a comprehensive way using detailed expenditure data at different administrative levels. The paper found that public expenditure for agriculture has increased steadily in China; however, the definition of agricultural spending might not precisely measure resources allocated to agricultural production. Some unique features of Chinese agricultural expenditure are identified, namely high decentralization and substantial intergovernmental transfer. The highly decentralized and hierarchical administrative system caused fragmentation in budget and implementation, resulting in rampant inefficiencies. Government expenditure also exhibits considerable regional disparity. This study recommends improving the fiscal system by rebalancing expenditure with revenues, prioritizing agricultural expenditure, and addressing regional disparities.

Suggested Citation

  • Yu, Bingxin & Chen, Kevin Z. & Zhang, Yumei & Zhang, Haisen, 2014. "Evolving public expenditure in Chinese agriculture: Definition, pattern, composition, and mechanism:," IFPRI discussion papers 1407, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
  • Handle: RePEc:fpr:ifprid:1407
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://cdm15738.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/getfile/collection/p15738coll2/id/128912/filename/129123.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jing Jin & Chunli Shen & Qian Wang & Heng-fu Zou, 2012. "Decentralization in China," CEMA Working Papers 546, China Economics and Management Academy, Central University of Finance and Economics.
    2. Shah, Anwar, 2004. "Fiscal decentralization in developing and transition economies: progress, problems, and the promise," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3282, The World Bank.
    3. Chunli Shen & Jing Jin & Heng-fu Zou, 2012. "Fiscal Decentralization in China: History, Impact, Challenges and Next Steps," Annals of Economics and Finance, Society for AEF, vol. 13(1), pages 1-51, May.
    4. Shulian Deng & Jun Peng, 2011. "Reforming the Budgeting Process in China," OECD Journal on Budgeting, OECD Publishing, vol. 11(1), pages 75-89.
    5. Yanjie Zhang & Bernhard Brümmer, 2011. "Productivity change and the effects of policy reform in China's agriculture since 1979," Asian-Pacific Economic Literature, The Crawford School, The Australian National University, vol. 25(2), pages 131-150, November.
    6. Roy Bahl & Sally Wallace, 2007. "Intergovernmental Transfers: The Vertical Sharing Dimension," Springer Books, in: Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & Bob Searle (ed.), Fiscal Equalization, chapter 0, pages 205-249, Springer.
    7. Wusheng Yu & Hans G. Jensen, 2010. "China’s Agricultural Policy Transition: Impacts of Recent Reforms and Future Scenarios," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(2), pages 343-368, June.
    8. Jin, Hehui & Qian, Yingyi & Weingast, Barry R., 2005. "Regional decentralization and fiscal incentives: Federalism, Chinese style," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(9-10), pages 1719-1742, September.
    9. Ms. Era Dabla-Norris, 2005. "Issues in Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations in China," IMF Working Papers 2005/030, International Monetary Fund.
    10. Montalvo, Jose G. & Ravallion, Martin, 2010. "The pattern of growth and poverty reduction in China," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 2-16, March.
    11. World Bank, 2002. "China - National Development and Sub-National Finance : A Review of Provincial Expenditures," World Bank Publications - Reports 15423, The World Bank Group.
    12. Christine Wong, 2007. "Budget Reform in China," OECD Journal on Budgeting, OECD Publishing, vol. 7(1), pages 1-24.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Zhan, Yue & Chen, Kevin Z., 2021. "Building resilient food system amidst COVID-19: Responses and lessons from China," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).

    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. Zhiguo Wang & Liang Ma, 2014. "Fiscal Decentralization in China: A Literature Review," Annals of Economics and Finance, Society for AEF, vol. 15(1), pages 51-65, May.
    2. Yongzheng Liu & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & Baoyun Qiao, 2014. "Falling Short: Intergovernmental Transfers in China," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper1423, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
    3. Yang, Zhou, 2016. "Tax reform, fiscal decentralization, and regional economic growth: New evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 520-528.
    4. Wang, Zhiguo & Ma, Liang, 2012. "New Development of Fiscal Decentralization in China," MPRA Paper 36918, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Chunli Shen & Jing Jin & Heng-fu Zou, 2012. "Fiscal Decentralization in China: History, Impact, Challenges and Next Steps," Annals of Economics and Finance, Society for AEF, vol. 13(1), pages 1-51, May.
    6. Anping Chen & Nicolaas Groenewold, 2017. "An increase in the retirement age in China: the regional economic effects," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(7), pages 702-721, February.
    7. Qichun He & Meng Sun, 2018. "Does Fiscal Decentralization Increase the Investment Rate? Evidence from Chinese Panel Data," Annals of Economics and Finance, Society for AEF, vol. 19(1), pages 75-101, May.
    8. Pi-Han Tsai, 2016. "Fiscal incentives and political budget cycles in China," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 23(6), pages 1030-1073, December.
    9. Chen, Xiaodong & Mi, Haoming & Zhou, Peng, 2023. "Whether to decentralize and how to decentralize? The optimal fiscal federalism in an endogenous growth model," Cardiff Economics Working Papers E2023/11, Cardiff University, Cardiff Business School, Economics Section.
    10. Brehm, Stefan, 2013. "Fiscal Incentives, Public Spending, and Productivity – County-Level Evidence from a Chinese Province," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 92-103.
    11. Yang, Xiaoliang & Barros, Lucy & Matthews, Kent & Meenagh, David, 2023. "The dynamics of redistribution, inequality and growth across China s regions," Cardiff Economics Working Papers E2023/12, Cardiff University, Cardiff Business School, Economics Section.
    12. Chi, Meiqing & Muhammad, Sulaman & Khan, Zeeshan & Ali, Shahid & Li, Rita Yi Man, 2021. "Is centralization killing innovation? The success story of technological innovation in fiscally decentralized countries," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    13. Shi, Xiangyu & Xi, Tianyang, 2018. "Race to safety: Political competition, neighborhood effects, and coal mine deaths in China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 79-95.
    14. Uchimura, Hiroko & Jütting, Johannes P., 2009. "Fiscal Decentralization, Chinese Style: Good for Health Outcomes?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(12), pages 1926-1934, December.
    15. Gyourko, Joseph & Shen, Yang & Wu, Jing & Zhang, Rongjie, 2022. "Land finance in China: Analysis and review," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    16. Chen, Sophia & Ratnovski, Lev & Tsai, Pi-Han, 2019. "Credit and fiscal multipliers in China," BOFIT Discussion Papers 5/2019, Bank of Finland Institute for Emerging Economies (BOFIT).
    17. Bing Ye & Xunyong Xiang, 2020. "Intergovernmental transfers and tax noncompliance," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 27(2), pages 312-338, April.
    18. repec:zbw:bofitp:2019_005 is not listed on IDEAS
    19. Alexander F. McQuoid & Yi Ding & Cem Karayalcin, 2017. "Fiscal Federalism, Fiscal Reform, and Economic Growth in China," Departmental Working Papers 57, United States Naval Academy Department of Economics.
    20. Ding, Yi & McQuoid, Alexander & Karayalcin, Cem, 2019. "Fiscal decentralization, fiscal reform, and economic growth in china," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 152-167.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    public expenditure; Agriculture; Agricultural policies; Agricultural development; Governance; Investment; decentralization; regional disparity; transfers;
    All these keywords.

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    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:fpr:ifprid:1407. 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: the person in charge (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ifprius.html .

    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.