The spatial spillover effects of establishing free trade pilot zones on FDI: Empirical evidence from China

The establishment of free trade pilot zones (FTZs) in China has constituted a pivotal endeavor to enhance global collaboration, foster economic restructuring and transformation, and attract foreign direct investment (FDI). These objectives are pursued through a series of strategies, including implem...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Tingting Zhang, Wenxuan Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2023-10-01
Series:Heliyon
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023077952
_version_ 1827780276213776384
author Tingting Zhang
Wenxuan Wang
author_facet Tingting Zhang
Wenxuan Wang
author_sort Tingting Zhang
collection DOAJ
description The establishment of free trade pilot zones (FTZs) in China has constituted a pivotal endeavor to enhance global collaboration, foster economic restructuring and transformation, and attract foreign direct investment (FDI). These objectives are pursued through a series of strategies, including implementing a negative list system, reducing the threshold for FDI, and enhancing the FDI service framework. Based on panel data from 47 cities between 2005 and 2018, this research employs a spatial difference-in-differences model to empirically examine the spatial spillover effects of establishing FTZs concerning FDI. The findings reveal the substantial positive impact of FTZs on fostering FDI within respective domains. Conversely, an adverse spillover effect is observed on FDI in neighboring vicinities. Coastal FTZs have a negative spillover effect on FDI in surrounding areas, whereas inland FTZs have minimal impact on FDI in surrounding areas. The first and third batches of FTZs have had negative spillover effects on FDI in surrounding areas, while the second batch of FTZs has had no significant spatial spillover effect on FDI. Based on the empirical conclusions, this study proposes policy recommendations to broaden the scope of FTZs, refine the spatial spillover mechanism, and foster the diversified development of FTZs. These measures are envisaged to optimize the efficacy of the FTZ strategy to advance FDI objectives.
first_indexed 2024-03-11T15:02:25Z
format Article
id doaj.art-0c42ce188e95456e90366986590c6902
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2405-8440
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-11T15:02:25Z
publishDate 2023-10-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Heliyon
spelling doaj.art-0c42ce188e95456e90366986590c69022023-10-30T06:06:40ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402023-10-01910e20587The spatial spillover effects of establishing free trade pilot zones on FDI: Empirical evidence from ChinaTingting Zhang0Wenxuan Wang1School of Economics, Capital University of Economics and Business, 121 Zhangjia Road, Huaxiang, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100070, ChinaSchool of Economics and Finance, Huaqiao University, 269 Chenghuabei Road, Fengze District, QuanZhou, 362021, China; Corresponding author.The establishment of free trade pilot zones (FTZs) in China has constituted a pivotal endeavor to enhance global collaboration, foster economic restructuring and transformation, and attract foreign direct investment (FDI). These objectives are pursued through a series of strategies, including implementing a negative list system, reducing the threshold for FDI, and enhancing the FDI service framework. Based on panel data from 47 cities between 2005 and 2018, this research employs a spatial difference-in-differences model to empirically examine the spatial spillover effects of establishing FTZs concerning FDI. The findings reveal the substantial positive impact of FTZs on fostering FDI within respective domains. Conversely, an adverse spillover effect is observed on FDI in neighboring vicinities. Coastal FTZs have a negative spillover effect on FDI in surrounding areas, whereas inland FTZs have minimal impact on FDI in surrounding areas. The first and third batches of FTZs have had negative spillover effects on FDI in surrounding areas, while the second batch of FTZs has had no significant spatial spillover effect on FDI. Based on the empirical conclusions, this study proposes policy recommendations to broaden the scope of FTZs, refine the spatial spillover mechanism, and foster the diversified development of FTZs. These measures are envisaged to optimize the efficacy of the FTZ strategy to advance FDI objectives.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023077952JEL: C10F20F21F38P33R12
spellingShingle Tingting Zhang
Wenxuan Wang
The spatial spillover effects of establishing free trade pilot zones on FDI: Empirical evidence from China
Heliyon
JEL: C10
F20
F21
F38
P33
R12
title The spatial spillover effects of establishing free trade pilot zones on FDI: Empirical evidence from China
title_full The spatial spillover effects of establishing free trade pilot zones on FDI: Empirical evidence from China
title_fullStr The spatial spillover effects of establishing free trade pilot zones on FDI: Empirical evidence from China
title_full_unstemmed The spatial spillover effects of establishing free trade pilot zones on FDI: Empirical evidence from China
title_short The spatial spillover effects of establishing free trade pilot zones on FDI: Empirical evidence from China
title_sort spatial spillover effects of establishing free trade pilot zones on fdi empirical evidence from china
topic JEL: C10
F20
F21
F38
P33
R12
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023077952
work_keys_str_mv AT tingtingzhang thespatialspillovereffectsofestablishingfreetradepilotzonesonfdiempiricalevidencefromchina
AT wenxuanwang thespatialspillovereffectsofestablishingfreetradepilotzonesonfdiempiricalevidencefromchina
AT tingtingzhang spatialspillovereffectsofestablishingfreetradepilotzonesonfdiempiricalevidencefromchina
AT wenxuanwang spatialspillovereffectsofestablishingfreetradepilotzonesonfdiempiricalevidencefromchina