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Trade Interdependencies in COVID-19-Related Essential Medical Goods: Role of Trade Facilitation and Cooperation for the Asian Economies

Author

Listed:
  • Das, Sanchita Basu

    (Asian Development Bank)

  • Sen, Rahul

    (Auckland University of Technology)

Abstract

This paper empirically investigates the state of trade interdependency for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) essential medical goods—vaccines and their value chains, personal protective equipment, and diagnostic test kits—across 29 Asia and the Pacific economies. Expanding on Hayakawa and Imai (2022), the analysis investigates whether trade facilitation, proxied by membership in regional trade agreements (RTAs), can help mitigate any adverse impact on trade in essential medical goods. The results confirm that while trade is critical for Asian economies, its nature differs. Low-income economies are largely dependent on imports, whereas selected middle- and high-income economies are part of two-way trade and engaged in low end of vaccine value chain. We find that onset of the pandemic had hurt exports of these goods. This adverse effect is found to be lowered for economies engaged in RTAs. This emphasizes role of governments in committing to RTAs and implementing trade facilitation measures.

Suggested Citation

  • Das, Sanchita Basu & Sen, Rahul, 2022. "Trade Interdependencies in COVID-19-Related Essential Medical Goods: Role of Trade Facilitation and Cooperation for the Asian Economies," ADB Economics Working Paper Series 666, Asian Development Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:ris:adbewp:0666
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Simon Evenett & Matteo Fiorini & Johannes Fritz & Bernard Hoekman & Piotr Lukaszuk & Nadia Rocha & Michele Ruta & Filippo Santi & Anirudh Shingal, 2022. "Trade policy responses to the COVID‐19 pandemic crisis: Evidence from a new data set," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(2), pages 342-364, February.
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    4. Kazunobu Hayakawa & Kohei Imai, 2022. "Who sends me face masks? Evidence for the impacts of COVID‐19 on international trade in medical goods," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(2), pages 365-385, February.
    5. Gary Gereffi, 2020. "What does the COVID-19 pandemic teach us about global value chains? The case of medical supplies," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 3(3), pages 287-301, September.
    6. Simon J. Evenett, 2020. "Chinese whispers: COVID-19, global supply chains in essential goods, and public policy," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 3(4), pages 408-429, December.
    7. Hayakawa, Kazunobu & Mukunoki, Hiroshi, 2021. "The impact of COVID-19 on international trade: Evidence from the first shock," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    COVID-19; vaccine supply chain; essential medical goods; regional trade agreements;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • F13 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes

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