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China’s Qualitative
Economic
Transformation
Edited by
Xianming Yang
China’s Qualitative Economic Transformation
Xianming Yang
Editor
China’s Qualitative
Economic
Transformation
Translated by Fuyu Chen
Editor
Xianming Yang
Yunnan University
Kunming, China
Translated by
Fuyu Chen
Chongqing Jiaotong University
Chongqing, China
Sponsored by the Chinese Fund for the Humanities and Social Sciences
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer
Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023
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Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of
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189721, Singapore
Contents
1 W
hy the Dynamic Evolution of China’s Comparative
Advantages Must Be Accelerated 1
Xianming Yang, Ning Huang, and Sujun Shao
2 R
esource Constraints in the Dynamic Evolution of
China’s Comparative Advantages 37
Xincheng Zhao
3 F
actor Substitution, Technological Progress, and the
Dynamic Evolution of Chinese Manufacturing’s
Comparative Advantages 61
Meng Zheng
4 O
ptimization of Human Capital Structure and the
Dynamic Evolution of China’s Comparative Advantages 87
Xiaolong Tao
v
vi Contents
6 H
ome Market Effect, Spatial Efficiency of Industries,
and the Dynamic Evolution of China’s Comparative
Advantages151
Ya Li
7 M
arket Integration and the Dynamic Evolution of
China’s Comparative Advantages171
Yan Liu and Fan Yuan
9 U
pgrading in Global Value Chains, the Dynamic
Evolution of Comparative Advantages, and China’s
Position229
Ming Wu
10 N
ational Absorptive Capacity and the Dynamic
Evolution of China’s Comparative Advantages257
Haibin Yang
Bibliography289
List of Contributors
vii
viii List of Contributors
ix
x List of Figures
xi
xii List of Tables
giving rise to structural upgrading and other effects. Thus, the dynamic
development of comparative advantages becomes the basis of increasing
returns of an open economy. On the other hand, the weakening and stag-
nation of comparative advantages is the fundamental reason for decrease
or withdrawal of external resources, such as foreign direct investment
(FDI).1 The studies and focus on the dynamic evolution of comparative
advantages originate in people’s concern over economic reality. How to
sustain growth of the Chinese economy? How to prevent China from
becoming a loser in globalization? These are two correlated questions.
Since its accession to the WTO, China’s integration with the world
economy has significantly accelerated and the country has become the
world’s largest FDI destination open economy that is also strongly depen-
dent on foreign trade. However, issues such as what obstacles the country
faces while trying to develop the dynamics of its comparative advantages
under the opening-up policy and how to boost such development in this
new phase of economic opening are still important research topics. The
2002 United Nations Trade and Development Report analyzed how, in
China and other countries, being stuck at the low end of the global value
chains leads to the asymmetry between growth in the value and in the
volume of trade. The report argues that it is a composition fallacy to infer
from competition in the export volume of FDI-driven, and labor-intensive
products that there is more generalized competition. It concludes that if
China does not step up its effort to realize industrial upgrade by capital-
izing on FDI technology, it would be stuck competing with other devel-
oping countries at the low end of the global value chains. These conclusions
alert us to the importance of assuming the global market competition
perspective in our analysis of the potential pressure for China to adjust its
economic structure due to its inability to fully realize the country’s com-
parative advantages.
Since the early twenty-first century, Chinese scholars have been paying
attention to the urgency of the dynamic evolution of China’s comparative
advantages. For example, in view of China’s strong dependency on foreign
investment, some scholars discussed the reasons for inadequate develop-
ment of China’s dynamic comparative advantages by examining the special
relationship between FDI and China’s trade development, market
1
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Foreign Direct
Investment Policy Boosting Development: National and International Outlook (Beijing: China
Financial and Economic Publishing House, 2005).
1 WHY THE DYNAMIC EVOLUTION OF CHINA’S COMPARATIVE… 3
2
Song Hong, “The Particularity Bound to Disappear: On the Integration of China with
the World Economy in Light of Investment and Trade,” International Trade, no. 1 (2003):
47–50; Zhong Wei and Qin Donghai, “The Structure of International Capital Inflow and
the Intense Competition Among Governments for FDI,” Management World, no. 10
(2003): 24–33.
3
Zheng Jianghuai et al., “International Manufacturing Capital Transfer: Motivation,
Technology Learning, and Policy Orientation—An Empirical Study on Supportive Industries
in the Development Zone Along the Yangtze River in Jiangsu Province,” Management
World, no. 11 (2005): 29–38.
4 X. YANG ET AL.
6
Gan Chunhui and Yu Dianfan, “China’s Establishment of Comparative Advantages: A
Strategic Perspective,” Academic Monthly, no. 4 (2013): 14.
7
Lin Shanlang, Report on China’s Core Competitiveness: Problems, Status, Challenges,
and Countermeasures (Beijing: China Development Press, 2005).
1 WHY THE DYNAMIC EVOLUTION OF CHINA’S COMPARATIVE… 7
8
A. G. Kenwood and A. L. Lougheed, The Growth of the International Economy:
1820–1980, trans. Wang Chunfa (Beijing: Economic Science Press, 1995).
9
For this concept, see Giovanni Arrighi, Adam Smith in Beijing, trans. Lu Aiguo et al.
(Beijing: China Social Sciences Press, 2009), 27.
10
Hua Min, “The Logic and Choices for China’s High-Speed Economic Growth,”
Academic Monthly, no. 7 (2009): 51–61.
8 X. YANG ET AL.
11
All statistics in this chapter are at the 1990 constant price unless stated otherwise.
1 WHY THE DYNAMIC EVOLUTION OF CHINA’S COMPARATIVE… 9
Year Labor Invention patents R&D R&D R&D personnel R&D personnel/ Indicator
productivity authorization expenditures expenditures (million thousand persons
(RMB/person) (thousand) (billion RMB) in GDP (%) persons)
Notes: 1. Source: National Data (http://data.stats.gov.cn/), sorted and calculated by the author
2. R&D expenditures at the current prices
1 WHY THE DYNAMIC EVOLUTION OF CHINA’S COMPARATIVE… 11
12
Bela Balassa. “Trade Liberalization and Revealed Comparative Advantage,” The
Manchester School of Economics and Social Studies 33, (1965): 99–123.
18 X. YANG ET AL.
Xij
n
X ij
RCAij m
i 1
(1.1)
Xij
j 1
m n
X j 1 i 1
ij
A. Manufactured products
B. Primary products
1995 0.7061 0.9224 0.6737 0.6251 0.4897 1.1501 2.9086 1.5380 0.6213 0.7350
1996 0.6763 0.9052 0.6985 0.5889 0.4583 1.1567 2.8761 1.4567 0.6529 0.7811
1997 0.6509 0.8279 0.6552 0.6640 0.4608 1.1581 2.9179 1.4843 0.6651 0.7631
1998 0.6409 0.7804 0.5697 0.6723 0.4569 1.1456 2.7591 1.4506 0.6810 0.8194
1999 0.5794 0.7592 0.6611 0.7052 0.3205 1.1589 2.7429 1.4551 0.7372 0.8377
2000 0.5322 0.8158 0.6072 0.6579 0.3031 1.2014 2.7850 1.6150 0.7954 0.8711
2001 0.5161 0.7399 0.5053 0.6196 0.3229 1.1984 2.6450 1.4727 0.7883 0.9399
2002 0.4679 0.6768 0.4516 0.5937 0.2738 1.2069 2.5297 1.3369 0.7901 1.0358
2003 0.4214 0.6012 0.3797 0.5957 0.2519 1.2300 2.4438 1.3041 0.7599 1.1655
2004 0.3680 0.5127 0.3298 0.6050 0.2187 1.2667 2.3906 1.3539 0.7725 1.2702
2005 0.3106 0.4931 0.3382 0.5328 0.1670 1.3196 2.4470 1.3644 0.8126 1.3545
2006 0.2745 0.4596 0.3146 0.5069 0.1246 1.3438 2.5224 1.4689 0.8475 1.3456
2007 0.2483 0.4147 0.3057 0.4055 0.1185 1.3586 2.4699 1.5379 0.8755 1.3729
2008 0.2259 0.3615 0.3243 0.4014 0.1249 1.4292 2.5418 1.6207 0.9787 1.4155
2009 0.2275 0.3662 0.3345 0.3178 0.1174 1.4039 2.5203 1.4139 1.0000 1.3611
2010 0.2189 0.3773 0.3058 0.3045 0.1095 1.4265 2.5823 1.5387 0.9904 1.3927
2011 0.2067 0.3811 0.3375 0.3091 0.0951 1.4820 2.6827 1.6222 1.0350 1.4393
2012 0.1890 0.3665 0.3184 0.2950 0.0822 1.4986 2.7148 1.6037 1.0561 1.4637
2013 0.1910 0.3522 0.3121 0.2981 0.0866 1.4910 2.6536 1.5280 1.0638 1.4621
2014 0.1987 0.3426 0.3283 0.3275 0.0890 1.4434 2.5269 1.5716 1.0530 1.3840
2015 0.2254 0.3376 0.2946 0.3251 0.1060 1.3566 2.3636 1.5723 1.0111 1.2633
2016 0.2596 0.3643 0.3075 0.3229 0.1342 1.3288 2.3170 1.5036 1.0140 1.2353
1 WHY THE DYNAMIC EVOLUTION OF CHINA’S COMPARATIVE…
2017 0.2477 0.3570 0.2881 0.3137 0.1379 1.3477 2.3092 1.4773 1.0511 1.2671
2
xi
n X 1 / n
i 1
, X= i 1 xi
n
Hj (1.2)
1 1 / n
Sj
t hij hi
2
where hij stands for the proportion of Export Commodity i in the com-
modity export of Country j, and hi for the proportion of Export
Commodity i in the global commodity export.
As we can see in Table 1.10, China had a rather high degree of diversity
on the international market, but it tended to decrease in recent years.
IPx
NBTT 100 (1.4)
IPm
where IPx stands for unit values of export and IPm for unit values of
import. Generally, empirical studies of trade terms analyze the price index
of both import and export commodities or that of classified import and
export commodities. This is because, according to international trade
22 X. YANG ET AL.
P Q x
1i
x
0i
IPx i
(1.5)
P Q
i
x
0i
x
0i
P
j
m
1j Q0mj
IPm (1.6)
P
j
m
0j Q0mj
In Formula 1.5, P1xi stands for the export price of Commodity i within
the report period, P0xi for the import price of Commodity i within the base
period, and Q0xi for the export quantity of Commodity i within the base
period. In Formula 1.6, P1mj stands for the import price of Commodity j
within the report period, P0mj for the import price of Commodity j within
the base period, and Q0mj for the import quantity of Commodity j within
the report period.
According to Formula 1.4, if we set a given year as the base period and
a country’s NBTT as 100 in that year, we will be able to see the changes
in its net barter terms of trade within the report period by calculating its
price indexes of imports and exports. If its NBTT is greater than 100
within the report period, its trade terms have improved compared with
that in the base period; if its NBTT is smaller than 100, its trade terms
have deteriorated. Therefore, the NBTT does not reflect a country’s trade
interest or trade position at a given time point, but the changes in its trade
interest and trade position within a continuous trade process.
As the term indicates, the NBTT reflects the changes in a country’s
import capacity in exchange for its export of commodities, or, compared
with the quantity in the base period, how many import commodities it can
exchange by exporting one unit of commodities in the report period. If
the NBTT increases, this country is able to exchange more import com-
modities with one unit of export commodities compared with the base
period, or, in other words, its import capacity improves. If the NBTT
decreases, this country is able to exchange less import commodities with
one unit of export commodities compared with the base period, or, in
other words, its import capacity declines. Nonetheless, the real economic
activity is much more complicated and the changes in trade terms are the
result of multiple factors. Therefore, we should not generalize about the
NBTT’s influence on the trade interest of a country. Rather we must make
24 X. YANG ET AL.
specific analysis in this regard. In the course of economic growth, the dete-
rioration of a country’s NBTT does not mean the absolute deterioration
in its trade. NBTT focuses on the prices on the international market and
therefore reflects changes in the international value rather than the national
value. Similarly, even if the trade terms of a country remain constant, it
does not necessarily follow that there is no change in its trade interest—it
is probably because some changes in the trade interest caused by relevant
factors (such as cost, demand, and supply) are ignored.
As the NBTT describes, by means of price variation, the deterioration
or improvement of a country’s competition conditions on the interna-
tional market, it can directly reflect the changes in this country’s benefit
from its imports in exchange for exports. A rise in the NBTT indicates
relative increase in export prices or relative decrease in import prices,
which means a higher value of imported goods in exchange for exported
goods and, ceteris paribus, an expansion in the trade benefit. On the con-
trary, a decline in the NBTT indicates relative decrease in export prices or
relative increase in import prices, which means a lower value of imported
goods in exchange for exported goods and, ceteris paribus, a shrinkage in
the trade benefit.13 Therefore, the NBTT index is the most practical indi-
cator of the trade terms.
As we can find in Table 1.11, China’s NBTT is clearly on the decline.
13
As there are too many commodities in international trade, it is impossible to use the
individual price index in calculation of the price index. Usually we adopt the general price
index in the form of the weighted average of many commodity prices. So the NBTT reflects
not the absolute amount but the change in trade benefit.
1 WHY THE DYNAMIC EVOLUTION OF CHINA’S COMPARATIVE… 25
14
Justin Yifu Lin and Li Yongjun, “Comparative Advantages, Competitive Advantages,
and the Economic Development of Developing Countries,” Management World, no. 7
(2003): 21–28.
28 X. YANG ET AL.
15
From 2001 to 2010, the total costs of Chinese manufacturing (including capital, labor,
energy, and input in intermediate goods) increased by 3.19 times, or approximately 13.76%
annually (Statistics provided by the author). Meanwhile, the value added of Chinese manu-
facturing increased from RMB 3461.423 billion in 2001 to RMB 8850.267 in 2010, up by
2.56 times or an annual average of 10.99% only (The World Bank database).
1 WHY THE DYNAMIC EVOLUTION OF CHINA’S COMPARATIVE… 29
pointed out, the former follows a law—a certain degree of endeavor results
in the growth of the human capital stock at a constant rate, irrelevant to
the size of the existing stock.16 As Lucas further pointed out, human capi-
tal accumulation is a social phenomenon that involves human groups, and
therefore poles apart from physical capital accumulation in forms.17 Yet
while making further studies on the role of human capital in the dynamic
mechanism of comparative advantages, we have to distinguish the con-
cepts of human capital stock and human capital structure, which are cor-
related but different in meanings. Theodore W. Schultz made a clear
distinction between the two because, in his eyes, the productivity value of
human capital endowment depends largely on its composition which is
related to the opportunity on the market that serves it. According to
Schultz, the heterogeneity of the concept of human capital is reflected in
the incremental way in which wages increases with the level of professional
training workers have received. In fact, he agreed that the composition of
human capital has a greater influence on technological absorption and
innovation than the average stock of human capital does. Of all the factors
boosting economic growth and convergence of income levels, which
makes a greater contribution? The human capital stock or the human capi-
tal structure? This depends on which stage of development a country is in
and its socioeconomic structure. As there is abundant literature on human
capital and the dynamic evolution of comparative advantages, we will
focus on the role of human capital structure, highlighting the importance
of the optimization of human capital composition. According to the
meaning of dynamic comparative advantages, they are closely related to
human capital accumulation. In our findings, apart from the fact that, as a
production factor, human capital boosts comparative advantages, the
structural optimization of human capital and human capital stock contrib-
ute to the realization of dynamic comparative advantages. As a source of
dynamic comparative advantages, the structure of human capital was
already discussed in earlier literature of economics of development. When
discussing appropriate technology that matches the technological demand
of a developing economy, people have come to see that the real value of
localized education will exceed that of ubiquitous education. And this is in
fact a matter of human capital structure. As the structure of human capital
16
Theodore W. Schultz, Origins of Increasing Returns (Beijing: Peking University Press,
2001), 25.
17
Ibid.
30 X. YANG ET AL.
18
Paola Criscuolo and Rajneesh Narula, “National Absorptive Capacity and the Stage of
Development,” Report at Conference on “Innovation, Learning and Technological
Dynamism of Developing Countries,” (2013) Maastricht.
1 WHY THE DYNAMIC EVOLUTION OF CHINA’S COMPARATIVE… 31
19
D. R. Davis and D. E. Weinstein, “Does Economic Geography Matter for International
Specialization?” National Bureau of Economic Research, no. w5706 (1996).
32 X. YANG ET AL.
industry has a home market effect within a region, there must be a large
local demand for this industry, and to choose the industrial location on
that basis can most efficiently improve the efficiency of resource alloca-
tion. According to the view of the “home market effect,” we must realize
that economies of scale that exceed the factor endowments are a new
source of comparative advantages. A similar topic for research is how to
bring into play the comparative advantage of China’s market integration.
Similar to industrial agglomeration, market integration can be regarded as
a source of endogenous comparative advantages because of its economies-
of-scale effect. As Adam Smith narrated in The Wealth of Nations, the
deepening of the division of labor and the expansion of the market will
give rise to economies of scale. According to Smith, all economic entities
in the division of labor are both producers and consumers, and there is a
self-expansion mechanism, which keeps accumulating, between the divi-
sion of labor and the expansion of the market. Moreover, the division of
labor in different industries has an interactive effect, causing constant
improvements of professional collaboration and market dependence of the
overall economy. This is the dynamic mechanism among the division of
labor, increasing returns, and economies of scale. Undoubtedly, market
integration will facilitate this dynamic mechanism, whereas market seg-
mentation will impede or ruin it. Through an empirical analysis of the
segmentation and integration of the Chinese market, we find that the scale
economies effect generated in this process is another force that boosts the
dynamic evolution of comparative advantages.
When comparative advantages are studied as the basis for a country’s
participation in the international trade, the interactive relationship between
trade development and comparative advantages is usually ignored—even
though trade in itself can be a way to obtain comparative advantages.
Meanwhile, based on the expansion of the source of comparative advan-
tages under economic opening-up, the factors of development are better
positioned to break the limitation of traditional boundaries and flow
worldwide. In fact, the interaction between import and export is the most
important way to facilitate the formation of state capital, technological
progress, and structural adjustments. Therefore, the key to a country’s
realization of its dynamic transformation of comparative advantages is to
effectively “settle down” the factors of development flowing among coun-
tries by means of the factor-induced and factor spillover effects in its
imports and exports. A remarkable characteristic of the Chinese economy
is a long-term trade surplus in the world market and the international
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