Emission reduction and foreign direct investment nexus in China

Abstract

This paper employs a difference-in-difference-in-difference approach to examine the emission reduction and foreign direct investment nexus in China. It combines a firm-level dataset with emission reduction target statistics at city-level. The findings indicate that stringent environmental regulation is associated with the fall of the output of foreign firms in general and the shrinking of pollution-intensive industries in cities with heavy emission reduction pressure in particular. It is also shown that the location choice of foreign investment changes as emission reduction targets at city-level vary. Finally it is found that environmental regulation helps improve the structure of foreign direct investment and hence contributes to industrial upgrading in the economy.