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The international service trade effects of bilateral investment treaties

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  • Tingting Xiong
  • Hao Sun

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of the bilateral investment treaties (BITs) on a large dataset of service trade using recently developed Poisson pseudo‐maximum likelihood (PPML) estimator regression models with multiple high‐dimensional fixed effects to estimate the structural gravity equations. The model in this paper theoretically demonstrates that BITs reduce service trade from foreign direct investment (FDI) source countries by decreasing the additional variable costs of operating a foreign affiliate. This paper also empirically confirms that BITs decrease service exports from developed to developing economies through analysing a comprehensive WTO‐OECD Balanced Trade in Services Data from 1995 to 2006.

Suggested Citation

  • Tingting Xiong & Hao Sun, 2023. "The international service trade effects of bilateral investment treaties," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(8), pages 2538-2555, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:worlde:v:46:y:2023:i:8:p:2538-2555
    DOI: 10.1111/twec.13370
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    References listed on IDEAS

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