How does energy policy affect firms' outward foreign direct investment: An explanation based on investment motivation and firms' performance

Abstract

Energy policy can improve the efficiency of firms' outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) and promote the quality of China's economic growth, which is an important issue requiring urgent attention from Chinese society. Using the data of A-share listed companies from 2007 to 2018, this paper examines the impacts and mechanisms of both new and traditional energy policies on firms' OFDI. First, this study found a significant positive promotion effect from energy policy on firms' OFDI. Second, the heterogeneity test results suggest that an increase in the level of urban openness may weaken the positive effect of new energy policies on firms' OFDI, but may enhance the promotion effect of traditional energy policies. State ownership is conducive to enhancing firms' OFDI under new energy policies. However, such ownership can weaken the willingness of firms to invest abroad under traditional energy policies. Third, the mechanism analysis shows that new energy policy promotes firms to invest in technologically developed host countries, thus expanding the scale of firms' OFDI in the next round. Energy policies can improve firms' business and environmental performances in the short run; in the long run, this effect diminishes year by year.