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Accounting for Chinese Exports

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  • Loren Brandt
  • Kevin Lim

Abstract

Rapid growth in Chinese exporting has spurred extensive research across multiple fields of economics investigating its effects. Yet, the causes of this growth remain less well-understood. We quantify the drivers of Chinese exporting using a general equilibrium model, estimated with detailed trade and production data that capture rich heterogeneity across destinations, firm ownerships, production locations, and sectors. Both external (foreign demand) and internal factors (productivity, firm entry, imported input access) were important drivers of high export growth from 2000-2007. A slowdown in export growth post-2007 is largely attributable to the disappearance of internal drivers, reinforced by weakening external factors.

Suggested Citation

  • Loren Brandt & Kevin Lim, 2020. "Accounting for Chinese Exports," Working Papers tecipa-680, University of Toronto, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:tor:tecipa:tecipa-680
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. David Autor & David Dorn & Gordon Hanson, 2021. "On the Persistence of the China Shock," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 52(2 (Fall)), pages 381-476.
    2. Bie, Xiaodong & Ciani, Andrea, 2021. "Born similar, develop apart: Evidence on Chinese hybrid exporters," DICE Discussion Papers 364, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics (DICE).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    China; Exports; Imports; Trade; Productivity; WTO; Market Access;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • F47 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Forecasting and Simulation: Models and Applications
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence
    • O53 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Asia including Middle East

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