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Input-Trade Liberalization, Export Prices and Quality Upgrading

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  • Maria Bas

    (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Strauss-Kahn Vanessa

Abstract

This paper explores the impact of input trade liberalization on imported input and exported product prices. Using Chinese transaction data for 2000–2006, we capture causal effects between exogenous input tariff reductions and within firm changes in HS6-traded product prices. For identification, we make use of a natural control group of firms that are exempted from paying tariffs. Both imported input and export prices rise. The effect on export prices is specific to firms sourcing inputs from developed economies and exporting output to high-income countries. Results are consistent with a scenario within which firms exploit the input tariff cuts to access high-quality inputs in order to quality-upgrade their exports.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria Bas & Strauss-Kahn Vanessa, 2015. "Input-Trade Liberalization, Export Prices and Quality Upgrading," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) hal-01297151, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:cesptp:hal-01297151
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Firm-level data; Mark-up; Imported inputs; Trade liberalization; Export prices; Quality upgrade;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F10 - International Economics - - Trade - - - General
    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • F13 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations

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