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Mirror trade statistics between China and Latin America

Author

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  • Francisco Benita
  • Carlos M. Urzúa

Abstract

Purpose - This paper aims to examine the accuracy of the trade statistics between the People’s Republic of China and 20 Latin American countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Design/methodology/approach - This paper contrasts the mirror trade statistics between China and 20 Latin American countries during 2009-2014, after adding to the Chinese side the trade figures corresponding to Hong Kong and adjusting for some valuation issues. Using the resulting panel data, the paper then explores some of the possible explanatory variables, in the case of Latin America, which can account for the significant trade misinvoicing that is found among most of the countries involved. Findings - Trade misinvoicing, be that from the part of China or of its partners, varies substantially across Latin America. It is quite large in the case of some countries such as Bolivia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama and Paraguay, and, on the opposite side, relatively small in the case of other countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Guatemala and Venezuela. It is found that, from a Latin American perspective, trade misinvoicing is positively related to the countries’ lack of statistical capacity and their degree of financial openness. Originality/value - This is the first empirical paper that examines the mirror trade statistics between China and Latin American.

Suggested Citation

  • Francisco Benita & Carlos M. Urzúa, 2016. "Mirror trade statistics between China and Latin America," Journal of Chinese Economic and Foreign Trade Studies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 9(3), pages 177-189, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:eme:jcefts:v:9:y:2016:i:3:p:177-189
    DOI: 10.1108/JCEFTS-10-2016-032
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Céline Carrère & Christopher Grigoriou, 2014. "Can Mirror Data Help To Capture Informal International Trade?," UNCTAD Blue Series Papers 65, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
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    Cited by:

    1. Peter A.G. van Bergeijk, 2017. "Making Data Measurement Errors Transparent: The Case of the IMF," World Economics, World Economics, 1 Ivory Square, Plantation Wharf, London, United Kingdom, SW11 3UE, vol. 18(3), pages 133-154, July.
    2. Iwona Markowicz & Paweł Baran, 2022. "Duration of Trade Relationships of Polish Enterprises on the Intra-Community Market: The Case of Vehicles and Automotive Parts Trade," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-17, March.
    3. van Bergeijk, P.A.G., 2017. "Measurement error of global production," ISS Working Papers - General Series 632, International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam (ISS), The Hague.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    China; Latin America; Mirror statistics; Trade misinvoicing; Statistical capacity; Financial openness;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • H83 - Public Economics - - Miscellaneous Issues - - - Public Administration
    • O53 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Asia including Middle East
    • O54 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Latin America; Caribbean

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