ITO Banri
   Department   Aoyama Gakuin University  Department of Economics, College of Economics
   Position   Professor
Language English
Publication Date 2015
Type Academic Journal
Peer Review Peer reviewed
Title Does Agglomeration Promote the Internationalization of Chinese Firms?
Contribution Type Collaboration
Journal China Economic Review
Journal TypeAnother Country
Volume, Issue, Page pp.109-121
Author and coauthor Banri Ito, Zhaoyuan Xu and Naomitsu Yashiro
Details Knowledge spillover from the agglomeration of exporters can reduce the initial costs of exporting faced by other firms and thereby facilitate exports. We use a large dataset of Chinese manufacturing firms to assess whether industrial agglomeration lowers the minimum productivity level required for exporting and whether it increases a firm's probability of exporting. Semi-parametric quantile regressions reveal that the productivity advantage of exporters against non-exporters is markedly smaller in agglomerated regions. Furthermore, a parametric estimation of an export entry model indicates that the agglomeration of incumbent exporters contributes significantly to export participation, although its magnitude is limited. These spillover effects are generated not only by the agglomeration of exporting foreign invested firms (FIFs), but also, more importantly, by that of indigenous Chinese exporters. In fact, the agglomeration of exporting FIFs only contributes to the export entry of FIFs.