IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/growch/v51y2020i1p338-361.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Ever‐transient FDI and ever‐polarizing regional development: Revisiting conventional theories of regional development in the context of China, Southeast and South Asia

Author

Listed:
  • Simon X. B. Zhao
  • David W. H. Wong
  • David W. S. Wong
  • Y. P. Jiang

Abstract

In this new age of globalization, regions attempt to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) in order to achieve regionally balanced development. We revisit existing theories of regional development and FDI by analyzing recent data sets on FDI, employment, and trade in China, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. Using Chinese provincial data in 2004, 2008, and 2013 and applying panel estimations, our econometric results demonstrate that FDI remarkably influenced the concentration of employment in manufacturing, financial, and business services industries within the three Chinese macro‐regions. We also find that FDI is ever transient, always moving away from high‐cost to low‐cost production bases across different regions. This transient nature of FDI is spatially selective and biased, and not able to generate the trickle‐down effects to other neighboring regions. That is why FDI recently moved from China to Southeast and South Asia rather than from its coastal to inland regions. Furthermore, we show that this nature of FDI generally leads to polarization development for regions. As a synthesis or extension of the existing theories, we propose a leapfrog polarization pattern and strategy for vast developing countries in considering their regional development strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Simon X. B. Zhao & David W. H. Wong & David W. S. Wong & Y. P. Jiang, 2020. "Ever‐transient FDI and ever‐polarizing regional development: Revisiting conventional theories of regional development in the context of China, Southeast and South Asia," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(1), pages 338-361, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:growch:v:51:y:2020:i:1:p:338-361
    DOI: 10.1111/grow.12358
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/grow.12358
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/grow.12358?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Romer, Paul M, 1986. "Increasing Returns and Long-run Growth," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 94(5), pages 1002-1037, October.
    2. Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, 2012. "Trade and Regional Inequality," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 88(2), pages 109-136, April.
    3. Jeffrey Henderson & Richard P. Appelbaum & Suet Ying Ho & Jeffrey Henderson & Richard P. Appelbaum & Suet Ying Ho, 2013. "Globalization with Chinese Characteristics: Externalization, Dynamics and Transformations," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 44(6), pages 1221-1253, November.
    4. Simon Zhao & L. Zhang, 2007. "Foreign Direct Investment and the Formation of Global City-Regions in China," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(7), pages 979-994.
    5. Michael Storper & Yun-chung Chen, 2002. "Trade and the location of industries in the OECD and European Union," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 2(1), pages 73-107, January.
    6. Krugman, Paul, 1991. "Increasing Returns and Economic Geography," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 99(3), pages 483-499, June.
    7. C. Cindy Fan & Allen J. Scott, 2003. "Industrial Agglomeration and Development: A Survey of Spatial Economic Issues in East Asia and a Statistical Analysis of Chinese Regions," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 79(3), pages 295-319, July.
    8. Simona Iammarino & Andrés Rodriguez-Pose & Michael Storper, 2019. "Regional inequality in Europe: evidence, theory and policy implications," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 19(2), pages 273-298.
    9. Dan O'Donoghue & Bill Gleave, 2004. "A Note on Methods for Measuring Industrial Agglomeration," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(4), pages 419-427.
    10. Yuheng Li & Xun Wang & Hans Westlund & Yansui Liu, 2015. "Physical Capital, Human Capital, and Social Capital: The Changing Roles in China's Economic Growth," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(1), pages 133-149, March.
    11. Jenn hwan Wang & Tsung-Yuan Chen & Ching-Jung Tsai, 2012. "In Search of an Innovative State: The Development of the Biopharmaceutical Industry in Taiwan, South Korea and China," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 43(2), pages 481-503, March.
    12. François Perroux, 1950. "Economic Space: Theory and Applications," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 64(1), pages 89-104.
    13. Michael Storper, 2011. "Why do regions develop and change: the challenge for geography and economics," Post-Print hal-03417606, HAL.
    14. Michael Storper, 2011. "Why do regions develop and change? The challenge for geography and economics," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 11(2), pages 333-346, March.
    15. Hongbo Wang & Dan Rickman, 2018. "Regional growth differences in China for 1995–2013: an empirical integrative analysis of their sources," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 60(1), pages 99-117, January.
    16. X. B. Zhao & S. P. Tong, 2000. "Unequal Economic Development in China: Spatial Disparities and Regional Policy Reconsideration, 1985-1995," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(6), pages 549-561.
    17. Wentao Yu, 2018. "Creative industries agglomeration and industrial efficiency in China," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(4), pages 677-695, December.
    18. Ron Martin & Peter Sunley, 1998. "Slow Convergence? The New Endogenous Growth Theory and Regional Development," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 74(3), pages 201-227, July.
    19. Bao, Shuming & Chang, Gene Hsin & Sachs, Jeffrey D. & Woo, Wing Thye, 2002. "Geographic factors and China's regional development under market reforms, 1978-1998," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 13(1), pages 89-111.
    20. KH Zhang, 2001. "Does Foreign Direct Investment Promote Economic Growth? Evidence From East Asia And Latin America," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 19(2), pages 175-185, April.
    21. Michael Storper, 2018. "Separate Worlds? Explaining the current wave of regional economic polarization," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 18(2), pages 247-270.
    22. Henry Wai-chung Yeung, 2009. "Regional Development and the Competitive Dynamics of Global Production Networks: An East Asian Perspective," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(3), pages 325-351.
    23. Xiaobo Zhang & Kevin Zhang, 2003. "How Does Globalisation Affect Regional Inequality within A Developing Country? Evidence from China," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(4), pages 47-67.
    24. Doytch, Nadia & Uctum, Merih, 2019. "Spillovers from foreign direct investment in services: Evidence at sub-sectoral level for the Asia-Pacific," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 33-44.
    25. Canfei He & Yehua Dennis Wei & Xiuzhen Xie, 2008. "Globalization, Institutional Change, and Industrial Location: Economic Transition and Industrial Concentration in China," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(7), pages 923-945.
    26. Lucas, Robert Jr., 1988. "On the mechanics of economic development," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 3-42, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Eduardo Polloni‐Silva & Herick Fernando Moralles & Daisy Aparecida do Nascimento Rebelatto & Dominik Hartmann, 2021. "Are foreign companies a blessing or a curse for local development in Brazil? It depends on the home country and host region's institutions," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(2), pages 933-962, June.
    2. Roberto S. Santos & Denise R. Dunlap, 2021. "51 Flavors: Regional Resource Configurations and Foreign Multinational Market Entry in the U.S. Biopharmaceutical Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-17, August.
    3. Adolfo Maza & Paula Gutiérrez‐Portilla & José Villaverde, 2020. "On the drivers of UK direct investment in the Spanish regions: A spatial Durbin approach," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(2), pages 646-675, June.
    4. Muhammad Farhan Bashir & Benjiang MA & Luqman Shahzad & Biao Liu & Qiangjia Ruan, 2021. "China's quest for economic dominance and energy consumption: Can Asian economies provide natural resources for the success of One Belt One Road?," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(3), pages 570-587, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Cutrini, Eleonora & Mendez, Carlos, 2023. "Convergence clubs and spatial structural change in the European Union," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 167-181.
    2. Panagiotis Artelaris, 2021. "Regional economic growth and inequality in Greece," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(1), pages 141-158, February.
    3. Koen Frenken & Frank G. van Oort & Thijs Verburg & Ron A. Boschma, 2004. "Variety and regional economic growth in the Netherlands," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 0502, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Dec 2004.
    4. Yuan, Huaxi & Feng, Yidai & Lee, Chien-Chiang & Cen, Yan, 2020. "How does manufacturing agglomeration affect green economic efficiency?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    5. Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés & Bartalucci, Federico & Lozano-Gracia, Nancy & Dávalos, María, 2024. "Overcoming left-behindedness. Moving beyond the efficiency versus equity debate in territorial development," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 125629, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    6. Andrés Rodríguez-Pose & Callum Wilkie, 2018. "Strategies of gain and strategies of waste: What determines the success of development intervention?," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 1826, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Jul 2018.
    7. Andrés Rodríguez‐Pose, 2020. "Institutions and the fortunes of territories," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(3), pages 371-386, June.
    8. Mario Polèse & Richard Shearmur, 2006. "Growth and Location of Economic Activity: The Spatial Dynamics of Industries in Canada 1971–2001," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(3), pages 362-395, September.
    9. Gömleksiz, Mustafa & Özsahin, Serife, . "The Regional Dynamics of Economic Growth: Evidence from GMM Estimation in Turkey," Asian Journal of Applied Economics, Kasetsart University, Center for Applied Economics Research, vol. 26(1).
    10. Dahl, Juliana, 2013. "Innovation and growth in regions with specific geographical features," Kiel Advanced Studies Working Papers 463, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    11. Du, Congcong & Cao, Yunhui & Ling, Yushan & Jin, Zebin & Wang, Shibo & Wang, Daoping, 2024. "Does manufacturing agglomeration promote green productivity growth in China? Fresh evidence from partially linear functional-coefficient models," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    12. Henry Wai‐Chung Yeung, 2009. "Transnational Corporations, Global Production Networks, and Urban and Regional Development: A Geographer's Perspective on Multinational Enterprises and the Global Economy," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(2), pages 197-226, June.
    13. Riccardo Crescenzi & Simona Iammarino & Carolin Ioramashvili & Andres Rodriguez-Pose & Michael Storper, 2019. "The Geography of Innovation: Local Hotspots and Global Innovation Networks," WIPO Economic Research Working Papers 57, World Intellectual Property Organization - Economics and Statistics Division.
    14. Völlmecke, Dominik & Jindra, Björn & Marek, Philipp, 2016. "FDI, human capital and income convergence—Evidence for European regions," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 288-307.
    15. Anne Margarian, 2013. "A Constructive Critique of the Endogenous Development Approach in the European Support of Rural Areas," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(1), pages 1-29, March.
    16. Markus Grillitsch & Mikhail Martynovich & Rune Dahl Fitjar & Silje Haus-Reve, 2021. "The black box of regional growth," Journal of Geographical Systems, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 425-464, July.
    17. Adiwan F. Aritenang, 2021. "The Importance of Agglomeration Economies and Technological Level on Local Economic Growth: the Case of Indonesia," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 12(2), pages 544-563, June.
    18. Grillitsch, Markus & Martynovich, Mikhail & Dahl Fitjar, Rune & Haus-Reve, Silje, 2019. "Why bother about region-specific growth patterns and how to identify them?," Papers in Innovation Studies 2019/10, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    19. Gao, Ting, 2004. "Regional industrial growth: evidence from Chinese industries," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 101-124, January.
    20. Arun Natarajan Hariharan & Arindam Biswas, 2020. "A Critical review of the Indian knowledge‐based industry location policy against its theoretical arguments," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(3), pages 431-454, June.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:growch:v:51:y:2020:i:1:p:338-361. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=0017-4815 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.