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The Regional Distribution of Skill Premia in Urban China

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  • John Whalley
  • Chunbing Xing

Abstract

We document and discuss the implications of a sharp increase in the regional dispersion of skill premia in China in recent years. This has previously been little noted or discussed. We use three urban household surveys for 1995, 2002, and 2007 and estimate skill premia at provincial and city levels. Results show an increase in the skill premium across all regions between 1995 and 2002, but only coastal regions show significant increases in skill premia between 2002 and 2007. For 2007, coastal regions also have much higher within region wage inequality and this contributes more to overall urban wage inequality than within region inequality of non-coastal regions. Using a fixed effects model at city level, we find that ownership restructuring is a significant factor in driving up skill premia during the first period, and that the ongoing process of China's integration into the global economy plays a significant and regionally concentrated role in the second period.

Suggested Citation

  • John Whalley & Chunbing Xing, 2010. "The Regional Distribution of Skill Premia in Urban China," NBER Working Papers 16575, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:16575
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Ohyun Kwon & Simon Chang & Belton M. Fleisher, 2015. "Evolution of the Interindustry Wage Structure in China Since the 1980s," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(1), pages 17-44, February.
    2. Li, Shi & Whalley, John & Xing, Chunbing, 2014. "China's higher education expansion and unemployment of college graduates," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 567-582.
    3. Cui, Yuling & Nahm, Daehoon & Tani, Massimiliano, 2013. "Earnings Differentials and Returns to Education in China, 1995-2008," IZA Discussion Papers 7349, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Kwon, Ohyun & Fleisher, Belton M. & Quheng, Deng, 2011. "Evolution of the Industrial Wage Structure in China Since 1980," IZA Discussion Papers 5880, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J00 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - General
    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General
    • J30 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - General
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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