FDI Spillover Effects in China’s Manufacturing Sector: New Evidence From Forward and Backward Linkages

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Advances in Panel Data Analysis in Applied Economic Research (ICOAE 2017)

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Abstract

This paper assesses the spillover effects of inward foreign direct investment (FDI) on firm-level productivity growth in China’s manufacturing sector over the period 2006–2009. We use a detailed industrial classification of data to characterise both intra-industry and interindustry linkages, in contrast to most previous studies for develo** countries. Our findings suggest that there is a negative short-term effect and a positive long-run effect from FDI at both linkage levels. Among the interindustry linkages, in line with previous studies, the backward linkage is an important channel for domestic firms to obtain technology spillovers in the long run. However, our results also indicate that forward linkages are equally important, as we find a strongly positive impact of this linkage on productivity growth of domestic manufacturing firms in China.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The firms are only foreign owned with a minimum of 25% foreign capital to total assets.

  2. 2.

    The price index of investment in fixed assets is not available for Tibet. Therefore, the average national level is used for deflating the data of the firms located in Tibet.

  3. 3.

    The 135 sectors input-output matrix cannot be strictly treated as a three-digit level classification. However, it provides at least a better classification than the 42 sectors which is two-digit level classification.

  4. 4.

    However, imported intermediation products should be excluded from the calculation but the input-output matrix which excludes such imports does not exist.

  5. 5.

    We consider both situations, namely, inclusive of exports and exclusive of exports, and the results are found to be fairly robust.

  6. 6.

    Data limitations (insufficient annual export records at firm level) do not permit removal of the export outflows precisely. The only way to remove the outflows of export is to assume that each firm in the same industry has an exactly same behaviour towards exports, allowing for the use of the industrial average proportion.

  7. 7.

    At this point, it is appropriate to point out that it is not correct to simply divide the coefficient on the interaction term, for example, horizontal*time by the coefficient of horizontal variable to obtain the length of time it takes for the positive rate effect to overcome the negative level effect. As emphasised by Brambor et al. (2006), it is important to calculate the corresponding standard errors for obtaining the correct marginal effect of the spillover variables. Accordingly, from here on, Figs. 15.1, 15.2, and 15.3 are used to illustrate the marginal effects with 95% confidence intervals, to gauge the time period it takes for the net positive effect to emerge from the results.

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Correspondence to Sailesh Tanna .

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Appendix I

Appendix I

Three-digit Chinese SIC code

Industries

131

Grain grinding industry

132

Feed processing industry

133

Vegetable oil processing industry

134

Sugar industry

135

Slaughtering and meat processing industry

136

Fishery processing industry

137/139

Other food processing

143

Convenience food manufacturing

144

Liquid milk and milk products manufacturing

146

Condiments, fermentation products manufacturing

141/142/145/149

Other food manufacturing

151/152

Alcohol and wine manufacturing

153/154

Soft drinks and tea processing industry

161/162/169

Tobacco industry

171

Cotton, chemical fibre textile and dyeing industry

172

Weaving and dyeing fine processing industry

173/174

Linen textile, silk spinning and fine processing industry

175

Textile goods manufacturing

176

Knitwear and woven products manufacturing

181/182/183

Garment, shoes and hats manufacturing

191/192/193/194

Leather, fur, and feathers manufacturing

201/202/203/204

Wood processing and wood, bamboo, cane, palm and grass products

211/212/213/214/219

Furniture manufacturing

221/222/223

Papermaking and paper products industry

231/232/233

Duplicating industry of printing and recording medium

241/242/243/244/245

Cultural educational and sports goods manufacturing

251/253

Oil and nuclear fuel processing industry

252

Petroleum processing and coking

261

Basic chemical raw materials manufacturing

262

Fertilizer manufacturing

263

Pesticide manufacturing

264

Coatings, printing ink, paint and similar products manufacturing

265

Synthetic materials manufacturing

266

Special chemical products manufacturing

Three-digit Chinese SIC code

Industries

267

Daily-use chemical products manufacturing industry

271/272/273/274/275/276/277

Pharmaceutical industry

281/282

Chemical fibre manufacturing

291/292/293/294/295/296/299

Rubber products industry

301/302/303/304/305/306/307/308/309

Plastic product industry

311

Cement, lime and gypsum manufacturing

312

Cement and gypsum products manufacturing

313

Brick, stone and other building materials manufacturing

314

Glass and glass products manufacturing

315

Ceramic products manufacturing

316

Refractory products manufacturing

319

Graphite and other non-metallic mineral products manufacturing

321

Iron-making industry

322

Steel manufacturing

323

Steel rolling processing industry

324

Ferroalloy smelting industry

331/332/333/334

Smelting non-ferrous metal and alloy manufacturing

335

Non-ferrous metal rolling processing

341/342/343/344/345/346/347/348/349

Metal products manufacturing

351

Boiler and prime mover manufacturing

352

Metal processing machinery manufacturing

353

Lifting transportation equipment manufacturing industry

354

Pumps, valves, compressors and similar machinery manufacturing

355/356/357/358/359

Other common equipment manufacturing

361

Mining, metallurgy, building special equipment manufacturing

362

Chemical, wood, non-metal processing special equipment manufacturing

367

Agriculture, forestry and fishing special-purpose machinery manufacturing

363/364/365/366/368/369

Other special equipment manufacturing

371

Railway transportation equipment manufacturing industry

372

Automobile manufacturing

375

Ships and floating device manufacturing

373/374/376/379

Other transportation equipment manufacturing industry

391

Electric manufacturing

Three-digit Chinese SIC code

Industries

392

Transmission, distribution and control equipment manufacturing

393

Wire, cable, fibre optic cable and electrical equipment manufacturing

395/396

Household electricity and the electric appliance manufacturing industry

394/397/399

Other electrical machinery and equipment manufacturing

401

Communication equipment manufacturing industry

402/403

Radar and radio equipment manufacturing

404

Electronic computer manufacturing

405/406

Electronic components manufacturing

407

Home audio and video equipment manufacturing

409

Other electronic equipment manufacturing industry

411/412/413/414/419

Instrument manufacturing

415

Culture and office machinery manufacturing

421/422/423/424/429

Craftwork and other manufacturing

431/432

Waste processing industry

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Li, C., Tanna, S. (2018). FDI Spillover Effects in China’s Manufacturing Sector: New Evidence From Forward and Backward Linkages. In: Tsounis, N., Vlachvei, A. (eds) Advances in Panel Data Analysis in Applied Economic Research. ICOAE 2017. Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70055-7_15

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