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The Value of Information in International Trade: Gains to Outsourcing through Hong Kong

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  • Robert C. Feenstra
  • Gordon H. Hanson
  • Songhua Lin

Abstract

In this paper, we estimate the benefits to countries that purchase goods from China of having access to intermediary services provided by Hong Kong. Traders in Hong Kong supply information on markets and producers in China, which provides welfare gains to foreign firms using these services. During the 1990s, Hong Kong intermediated about half of the goods that China exported to the rest of the world. Our results suggests that gains to intermediary services provided by Hong Kong equal 16% of the value of goods that China exports to other countries through Hong Kong, and range between 10% and 21% of this export value for various manufacturing goods and across different years.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert C. Feenstra & Gordon H. Hanson & Songhua Lin, 2002. "The Value of Information in International Trade: Gains to Outsourcing through Hong Kong," NBER Working Papers 9328, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:9328
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    Cited by:

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    2. Amador, João & Cabral, Sónia, 2014. "Global value chains: surveying drivers and measures," Working Paper Series 1739, European Central Bank.
    3. Alyson C. Ma & Ari Van Assche & Chang Hong, 2010. "Global Production Networks and the People’s Republic of China’s Processing Trade," Working Papers id:3041, eSocialSciences.
    4. Bruce A. Blonigen & Alyson C. Ma, 2019. "Please Pass the Catch-Up: The Relative Performance of Chinese and Foreign Firms in Chinese Exports," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Foreign Direct Investment, chapter 12, pages 401-445, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    5. Alessandro Nicita & Marcelo Olarreaga, 2007. "Information and Export Performance," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 7(2), pages 95-111, June.
    6. João Amador & Sónia Cabral, 2014. "Global Value Chains: Surveying Drivers, Measures and Impacts," Working Papers w201403, Banco de Portugal, Economics and Research Department.
    7. Nordås, Hildegunn Kyvik, 2007. "International production sharing: A case for a coherent policy framework," WTO Discussion Papers 11, World Trade Organization (WTO), Economic Research and Statistics Division.
    8. Guillaume Daudin, 2005. "Les transactions de la mondialisation," Revue de l'OFCE, Presses de Sciences-Po, vol. 92(1), pages 221-262.
    9. James E. Rauch & Joel Watson, 2004. "Network Intermediaries in International Trade," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(1), pages 69-93, March.
    10. Ma, Alyson C. & Van Assche, Ari & Hong, Chang, 2009. "Global production networks and China's processing trade," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(6), pages 640-654, November.
    11. Nordås, Hildegunn Kyvik, 2003. "Fragmented production: Regionalization of trade?," WTO Staff Working Papers ERSD-2003-01, World Trade Organization (WTO), Economic Research and Statistics Division.
    12. Kinra, Aseem, 2015. "Environmental complexity related information for the assessment of country logistics environments: Implications for spatial transaction costs and foreign location attractiveness," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 36-47.
    13. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/686 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Lars Calmfors & Giancarlo Corsetti & John Kay & Seppo Honkapohja & Willi Leibfritz & Gilles Saint-Paul & Hans-Werner Sinn & Xavier Vives, 2005. "Chapter 2: Outsourcing," EEAG Report on the European Economy, CESifo, vol. 0, pages 39-50, March.
    15. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/686 is not listed on IDEAS
    16. Aradhna Aggarwal, 2011. "PROMOTING AGGLOMERATION ECONOMIES AND INDUSTRIAL CLUSTERING THROUGH SEZs: EVIDENCE FROM INDIA," Journal of International Commerce, Economics and Policy (JICEP), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 2(02), pages 201-227.
    17. Patricia Sourdin & Richard Pomfret, 2012. "Trade Facilitation," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 14596.

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    JEL classification:

    • F1 - International Economics - - Trade
    • D8 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty

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