Chinese Policymakers Research Articles

A New Socioeconomic Formation?

This article seeks to provide a more comprehensive philosophical framework for the proposed model of a “new projectment economy” in China. Developed by a research team of political economists and social scientists, the “new projectment economy” offers an innovative theoretical framework in an attempt to interpret facts on the ground in China. However, what is needed is more extensive philosophical analysis of what is at stake. Thus, the article has two main sections. The first provides a critical overview of the move from the “old projectment” as initially proposed by the Brazilian economist Ignacio Rangel, as well the key points of the “new projectment” in relation to China. The second main section turns to connect the proposal of the research team with Chinese Marxist philosophical analysis, in terms of the development of contradiction analysis, a reconstruction of China’s economic history since 1949, and a proposed dialectical transformation (Aufhebung) of both plan and market in the new era. Further engagement by the “projectment” research team with Chinese scholars and policy-makers should be the next step, for this would lead to mutual enrichment through complementarity and difference.

Healthcare utilisation and economic burden of migraines among bank employees in China: a probabilistic modelling study.

Despite the recognised high prevalence of migraines among bank employees, yet their healthcare utilisation patterns and the economic burden of migraines remain underexplored. To examine migraine-related healthcare utilisation among bank employees in China, and to estimate the economic burden of migraines. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Guizhou province, China between May and October 2022. The HARDSHIP questionnaire was used to identify migraine-positive individuals and enquire about their healthcare utilisation and productivity losses. A probabilistic decision-analytic model with a micro-costing approach was used to estimate the economic burden from the perspectives of the healthcare system, employers, and society. All costs were expressed in 2022 United States dollars. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed. Nearly half of individuals with migraines reported not seeking medical care. Only 21.8% reported seeking outpatient consultations, 52.5% reported taking medicines, and 27.1% reported using complementary therapies. Chronic migraine patients had significantly higher healthcare utilisation than episodic migraine patients. Among individuals with a monthly migraine frequency of 15 days or more, 63.6% took inappropriate treatments by excessively using acute medications. Migraines in the banking sector in Guizhou cost the healthcare system a median of $7,578.0 thousand (25th to 75th percentile $4,509.2-$16,434.9 thousand) per year, employers $89,750.3 thousand (25th to 75th percentile $53,211.6-$151,162.2 thousand), and society $108,850.3 thousand (25th to 75th percentile $67,370.1-$181,048.6 thousand). The median societal cost per patient-year is $3,078.1. Migraine prevalence and productivity losses were identified as key cost drivers. The study points to the need to raise awareness of migraines across all stakeholders and to improve the organisation of the migraine care system. A substantial economic burden of migraines on the healthcare system, employers, and society at large was highlighted. These cost estimates offer evidence-based benchmarks for assessing economic savings from improved migraine management, and can also draw the attention of Chinese policymakers to prioritise migraine policies within the banking and other office-based occupations.

Marginal effect of electricity generation on CO2 emissions: Disaggregated level evidence from China by KRLS method and high-frequency daily data

The effect of energy use on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions has been frequently studied in the literature. These studies have mainly concluded that countries should decline (increase) the use of fossil fuel (clean) energy. However, the literature suffers from a significant shortcoming as it does not focus on the marginal effect of a 1 % increase for each energy generation source on sectoral CO2 emissions. Therefore, a detailed analysis is conducted in this study to examine the relationship between electricity generation (EG) and CO2 emissions at a disaggregated level. The focus is on China, the world's leading country in terms of CO2 emissions and energy use. Thus, the study considers source-based EG and sector-based CO2 emissions, uses high-frequency daily data between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2022, and applies the kernel-based regularized least squares (KRLS) method. The outcomes show that (i) the effects of EG sources on sectoral CO2 emissions follow a nonlinear structure, suggesting that the marginal effect varies by sector, EG sources, and estimation models (either incremental or degressive). Therefore, there are certain externalities among alternative EG sources for the effects of CO2 emissions in the sectors; (ii) the statistically significant effects of EG sources on CO2 emissions vary by sector and constructed models, showing that some EG sources are much more important for CO2 emissions in some sectors. For this reason, not all EG sources have the same importance for sectoral CO2 emissions; (iii) the KRLS method has a higher estimation ability of CO2 emissions, reaching ∼99.8 %, which provides novel outcomes and allows researchers to argue various policy options based on the obtained results. The study thus highlights varying marginal impacts of EG sources on sectoral CO2 emissions. The changing marginal influence is a crucial point that should be considered by Chinese policymakers when formulating energy-related environmental policies.

Consumer Preferences and Willingness to Pay for High-Quality Vegetable Oils: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Chinese Residents.

The consumption of edible vegetable oil is an important source of essential fatty acids and vitamin E for the human body. Guiding residents to consume scientifically and reasonably control the intake of edible oils is an important part of promoting the construction of a healthy China. Currently, Chinese residents have an insufficient understanding of the scientific consumption of edible oils, leading to an intake exceeding the dietary recommendations, resulting in excessive fat intake and increasing the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), this study analyzed the cognitive preferences and willingness to pay a premium for edible vegetable oils among urban consumers in China. The survey included 1098 Chinese urban consumers of vegetable oils. The research found that attitudes, health value, monetary value, and environmental endowment of urban residents are the main predicting factors of the intention to purchase high-quality vegetable oils. This study confirms the applicability of the Theory of Planned Behavior in the consumption of high-quality vegetable oils and provides theoretical contributions and insights for Chinese enterprises and policymakers in formulating marketing strategies for vegetable oils.

China’s Monetary Policy Impacts on Money and Stock Markets

This study investigated the impact of China’s monetary policy on both the money market and stock markets, assuming that non-policy variables would not respond contemporaneously to changes in policy variables. Monetary policy adjustments are swiftly observed in money markets and gradually extend to the stock market. The study examined the effects of monetary policy shocks using three primary instruments: interest rate policy, reserve requirement ratio, and open market operations. Monthly data from 2007 to 2013 were analyzed using vector error correction (VEC) models. The findings suggest a likely presence of long-lasting and stable relationships among monetary policy, the money market, and stock markets. This research holds practical implications for Chinese policymakers, particularly in managing the challenges associated with fluctuation risks linked to high foreign exchange reserves, aiming to achieve autonomy in monetary policy and formulate effective monetary strategies to stimulate economic growth.

Did Urban Resilience Improve during 2005–2021? Evidence from 31 Chinese Provinces

In the context of climate change, various natural disasters and extreme weather events are occurring with increasing frequency. In addition, large-scale urbanization in China poses serious challenges to disaster resilience. The convergence of climate change and large-scale urbanization has made the enhancement of urban resilience (UR) an important guideline for current urban development. This study analyzes the UR of 31 provinces in China during 2005–2021 through the entropy method. A UR evaluation index system is constructed from the perspective of population resilience, social resilience, economic resilience, safeguarding facility resilience, and ecological resilience. The results demonstrate the following: (1) The overall performance of UR in China is relatively low, with an average value of 0.2390. (2) Chinese provinces significantly differ in UR levels, with Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Fujian being the top performers and Guangxi, Yunnan, Xinjiang, Gansu, and Tibet being the bottom. (3) From 2005 to 2021, the average UR value of the 31 Chinese provinces significantly improved. (4) Generally, the eastern, middle, and western regions exhibit relatively high, medium, and low average UR values, respectively. These research findings provide valuable references for Chinese policymakers to adopt measures for promoting UR enhancement and urban safety.

The influence of demographic structure on residential buildings' carbon emissions in China

In the process of advancing China’s carbon peak strategy, the residential building is a crucial sector for carbon mitigation. The energy demand for residential buildings, which is dominated by household consumption, is rapidly rising; coping with aging crisis and reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are two major challenges facing China. This study explores the complex relation between demographic structure and residential buildings' CO2 emissions, and then simulates the future carbon peaking trajectory based on scenario prediction model. The relevant results are fourfold. 1) The overall coupling coordination degree of demographic structure and residential buildings' CO2 emissions in China has entered the optimal state (i.e. high-quality coordination level) until 2020. 2) The increased household size and proportion of children population from 2010 to 2020 had an inhibitory effect on residential buildings' CO2 emissions, whereas increased population size and proportion of elderly population had a promotional effect. 3) Under the influence of demographic structure change, peak residential buildings' CO2 emissions are predicted to be delayed from 2030 to 2032 in China, and the peak value will increase by 3.56%, reaching 1.527 billion tons. 4) At the provincial degree, under the baseline scenario, Beijing will be the first to achieve peak CO2 emissions in 2026; under the aging scenario, Yunnan and Beijing will be the first to reach peak CO2 emissions in 2028. This study provides a reference for Chinese policymakers and other countries to incorporate demographic structure into future projections to advance carbon reduction targets' achievement in the building sector.

Scoping review of kindergarten research involving the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) in Mainland China

AbstractLike many countries, Mainland China is committed to improving process quality in kindergartens (children aged 3 to 6), specifically the quality of teacher–child interactions. The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS; Pianta, 2008, in Classroom Assessment Scoring System™: Manual K-3, Paul H Brookes Publishing, Baltimore) is a widely used tool to assess and potentially improve interactional quality. While CLASS has been increasingly used by researchers in China, much of the literature has been published in the Chinese language and, thus, is inaccessible to international readers. To overcome this barrier, this scoping review analyzes existing empirical research involving CLASS in Chinese kindergartens. Publications in English and Chinese were considered. Fifty-five peer-reviewed articles published between 2008 and 2023 were included. Most studies were conducted in public kindergartens in urban areas and developed regions of China, adopting quantitative research designs with relatively small sample sizes. We identified six different types of research purposes. Many of the available studies did not follow established CLASS procedures. We conclude that the evidence available for enhancing teacher–child interactional quality and supporting policy reforms in China remains somewhat weak. We encourage Chinese researchers and policymakers to implement CLASS in large-scale teacher performance evaluations and professional development studies.

Educational Choice and the Willingness to Apply of Higher Vocational Students in Guangdong Province, China: The Mediating Role of Career Decision-making Self-efficacy

This study explores the influence of educational choice on the willingness to apply and career decision-making self-efficacy. A questionnaire was conducted on 1,391 freshmen from six higher vocational colleges in Guangdong Province, China, using educational choice, career decision-making self-efficacy and the willingness to apply scales. The results showed that career decision-making self-efficacy has a mediating role in the significant positive effect of educational choice on the willingness to apply. Therefore, Chinese educational institutions and policy makers should cultivate vocational students' career decision-making self-efficacy to improve the confidence and ability in career decision-making, and better understand professional career field.

Economic Growth and Policy Dynamics in Contemporary China: A Comprehensive Analysis and Future Outlook

The Chinese economy has grown dramatically over the past few decades. China's economic rise is particularly intriguing because it defies conventional economic models and has been driven by unique policies and dynamics. Nevertheless, in a world characterized by increasing protectionism, international trade tensions, and changes in investor sentiment, the sustainability of China's economic growth model has come into question. Chinese policymakers should navigate these shifts as investors reconsider their positions and countries protect their domestic industries. This paper investigates the policy dynamics that have contributed to the rapid economic growth in China. It also describes the various economic models that can describe the Chinese economic model. The paper reveals s that consumption, investments, and exports are the major drivers of economic growth in China. Consumption in retail sales is robust and is projected to keep increasing yearly into the future. Keynesian theory asserts that aggregate demand is the most important driving force in an economy. As such, the aggregate demand for consumer goods by government, businesses, and households is high in China. Investments are also a major driver in creating gross fixed capital. Investments from a neoclassical perspective show that investors are concerned with maximizing The conclusion shows that in a world where countries are increasingly protective of domestic industries and also where investors are withdrawing from China, policymakers will have to focus on internal growth and consumption as the driver of economic growth.

Assessing decarbonization: a comparison of the green sacrifice ratio for China and India

ABSTRACT Carbon mitigation and net-zero targets have an important place on the political agenda for all countries. Countries have been seeking to decouple economic growth and carbon emissions to achieve decarbonization. However, there is a cost of the decarbonization of economies, which can be called as Green Sacrifice Ratio (GSR), and this is critical for developing countries because they have been in the growing stage. By considering the critical role of GSR in achieving net-zero emissions by decarbonizing economies, the study comparatively examines how much environmental quality should be sacrificed for per capita economic growth in China and India. In line with this purpose, the study uses the Fourier-Shin cointegration test and various time series estimators with Fourier approximations for the period from 1989/Q1 to 2022/Q4. Estimation results are as follows: (i) all variables follow the non-stationary process, (ii) the long-run relationship exists between variables, and (iii) Estimation results show that GSR is 0.65% for China and 0.78% for India. Therefore, China and India sacrifice a significant amount of environmental quality for a 1% increase in per capita income level. Also, the ecological cost of increasing economic welfare in India is higher with regard to China. Besides, the results are robust according to the alternative method. Thus, the study recommends that both Chinese and Indian policymakers should revise the economic expansion structure with green growth strategies to prevent irreversible environmental degradation due to higher economic growth.

Stay strong, stay healthy: exploring a predictive model of psychological adaptation among Macau students studying in Mainland China within the postcolonial context.

The prevailing research on adaptation primarily centers around the settlement of international students and immigrants in different cultural environments. However, there is a notable gap in understanding the intra-cultural adaptation process for individuals from postcolonial areas when relocating to their home country. The primary focus of the current study lies in constructing a predictive model that delineates the psychological adaptation experienced by Macau students studying in Mainland China. In total, two hundred and fifty-five Macau students completed a questionnaire which assessed variables falling into two categories: identity-related variables, such as language proficiency and identity, and intergroup-related variables, including intergroup contact and the quality of contact, and psychological adaptation. The findings from the present study revealed that identity and quality of contact continued to make significant contributions to psychological adaptation in intra-cultural environments as in inter-cultural environments, whereas language proficiency and intergroup contact were unrelated to psychological adaptation in intra-cultural adaptation. The present study extended the adaptation research by transporting hypotheses and findings from inter-cultural adaptation and testing their validity and applicability in postcolonial contexts. The findings also provided practical implications for Chinese education institutions and policy-makers.

From crisis to responsibility: The role of industry type, leadership style, and regulatory environment in shaping post-COVID-19 CSR initiative.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a major concern in modern industries. Chinese industries are growing rapidly and delivering products and services to the market. The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the working style of every type of industry. The objective of this research was to determine the influence of leadership style and industry type on the regulatory environment. This research also aims to determine the impact of the regulatory environment on CSR from the perspective of Chinese industries. Data based on a sample size of 599 was used for data analysis, and Smart PLS 3.0 was used for the results of measurement model assessment and structural model assessment. This study highlighted that industry type and leadership style have a significant positive impact on the regulatory environment and CSR. The framework of this research is based on the identified research gap, and the findings of this study are significant for Chinese policymakers. Furthermore, the research also asserted practical implications that are reliable to advance practices in the regulatory environment and achieve CSR by Chinese firms. This study has several limitations that are required to be significantly addressed for the sustainability of organizations.

Assessing the role of green investment in energy efficiency: Does digital economy matter?

Energy efficiency is crucial for achieving a balance between economic growth and sustainable development. As carbon-neutral targets continue to gain momentum, green investments are becoming increasingly important. Therefore, it is critical to investigate the relationship between green investment and energy efficiency. This paper aims to fill a gap in the macroeconomic literature by using a generalized method of moments (GMM) technique based on panel data from 30 provinces in China from 2006 to 2019. The econometric results indicate that green investment is positively associated with energy efficiency. Additionally, green investment indirectly promotes energy efficiency by fostering technology innovation and research and development (R&D) intensity. The results also suggest that more advanced digital development is linked to improvements in energy efficiency. Furthermore, regions characterized by higher levels of digital economy exhibit a more pronounced contribution of green investment to energy efficiency. Based on these findings, this paper provides valuable insights for Chinese policymakers on green investment and low-carbon development.

The Impact of the Deregulation of Covid-19 on the Pharmaceutical Industry

The current COVID-19 has lasted for a long time, and the Chinese government has relaxed the control of the pandemic after many considerations. Numerous researches about the COVID-19's effects on the economy and business are currently available. But few studies are on the pharmaceutical industry and the Deregulation. Therefore, this paper selects the Pharmaceutical and Biological Full Benefit as the research object. And then uses the ARIMA model to perform time series fitting and prediction of the closing price series in the past period. By comparing the predicted and real values, how the Deregulation affected the stock price of the biopharmaceutical sector could be determined. After modeling analysis, it is concluded that a positive effect has been produced by the Deregulation on the stock price of the pharmaceutical industry. Further study shows that there is a short-term lag in the impact, and the relative growth rate is not large. And the impact has been observed with certain short-term nature through the prediction results. This paper innovatively uses stock price fluctuations as an insertion point to explore the impact of the Deregulation on the pharmaceutical industry, which has profound practical guiding significance. For Chinese policy makers, it is suggested that the country should cooperate with the improvement and upgrading of the pharmaceutical industry. For investors, it is suggested that they should maintain a more stable and positive wait-and-see attitude towards the pharmaceutical industry.

The Spillover Effect of the Federal Reserves Aggressive Interest Rate Hike on Chinas Stock Market in the Post-pandemic Era

In March 2022, the sudden shift in monetary policy by the Federal Reserve, which has been followed by eleven consecutive interest rate hikes totaling 525 basis points, has had a profound impact on the global economy. This article utilizes an ARIMA model to forecast the Nasdaq and SSEC indices and empirically analyzes the spillover effects of the Fed's interest rate hikes and balance sheet reduction on the Chinese stock market. In the short term, the unconventional monetary policies of the Federal Reserve are expected to have significant negative effects on the Chinese stock market. However, in the long term, China's financial market will gradually absorb these impacts and adjust the stock market trajectory according to its own economic cycle. Based on this empirical research, the article offers recommendations for Chinese policymakers on how to safeguard against such international financial events. It emphasizes the need to strengthen regulation, closely monitor the monetary policy directions of both countries, and make flexible adjustments to policies, avoiding one-size-fits-all approaches. As China serves as a representative of emerging economies, the findings of this study have implications for policymakers in other emerging economies as well.

Confronting standards-making in food safety: Standards recalibration and regulatory reforms in China’s dairy industry

In 2012, the Beijing First Intermediate Court’s ruling reignited public controversy over a 2010 revision of China’s national raw milk standard. A consumer rights activist filed an open information application, requesting that China’s Ministry of Health disclose meeting minutes related to the revision. His request hinged on public perception that China’s dairy corporations helped lower quality and safety thresholds for domestic raw milk supplies, while the country still reeled from the 2008 melamine scandal. The case re-emerged as Chinese policymakers, seeking to strengthen and respond to domestic and international food safety concerns, crafted and revised standards and restructured government agencies to address shortcomings in the 2009 Food Safety Law. As the case unfolded, China was flexing its international power in standards-setting despite criticism of its domestic standards regime. Grounded in fieldwork conducted during this period, I trace the intersection and dissonance between standards, regulations, and best practices crafted by government institutions and private sector actors alongside their recalibration in practice. I use the 2010 revision debate to explore the efforts of scientific experts and government officials to convey the standard to different actors, not as acts of translation but rather as acts of transformation, as regulations and regulatory practices move across disparate sites and media.

Typologies of Secularism in China: Religion, Superstition, and Secularization

AbstractThis article examines four typologies of secularism in China from the sixteenth century onward, through an analysis of the triadic relationship between the secular, religious, and superstitious. These notions have been considered to be derived from the particular intellectual and political history of the West, but this fails to grasp the complexity of non-Western belief systems. This article proposes to instead examine how Chinese policymakers and intellectuals actively fabricated religion and produced secularization. It goes beyond a simple rebuttal of Eurocentrism, and arguments regarding the mutual incomparability of Western and Chinese experiences of secularization. It distinguishes four typologies of secularism that emerged successively in China: (1) the reduction of Christianity from the sixteenth century to the 1900s; (2) the Confucian secular and (3) atheist secular that were conceptualized, respectively, by royalist reformers and anti-Manchu revolutionaries during the final two decades of the Qing Dynasty; and (4) the interventionist secularism pursued by the Republican and the Communist regimes to strictly supervise and regulate religious beliefs and practices. The paper argues that, if secularization is indeed Christian in nature, secularism and religion were not imposed in China under Western cultural and political hegemony. Instead, the Christian secular model was produced in China mainly via pre-existing cultural norms and the state’s ad hoc political needs, making the Christian secularism itself a multipolar phenomenon.

Value‐added export tax policy, credit constraints, and quality: Evidence from China

AbstractThis paper examines the effect of an industrial policy in China named the VAT export tax on product upgrading. In particular, we use Chinese transaction data during 2003–2010 to isolate the causal impact of the exogenous variation of VAT refund and within the city‐product quality change in HS6 exported products. Our identification strategy entails the utilization of duality of the Chinese trade system to isolate the impact of the rebate by comparing a group of trade flows exempt from the refund and another that remains eligible. Our results suggest an increase in product upgrading in response to an increase in VAT refund. In this study, we also introduce the credit constraint to understand the change in quality. The industries that are confronted with tighter credit constraints impel firms to settle for low‐quality products. The model demonstrates that VAT refund provided a counterbalance force to credit constraints, thereby prompting firms to adjust quality. By increasing the refund granted to ordinary traders, firms leverage this excess cash flow to invest (in a fixed asset or innovative project) and improve the quality of products. This effect is reinforced for products exported to developed countries, heterogeneous products, or from larger industries. The Chinese policymakers formally introduced environmental objectives under the 10th and 11th FYP, respectively. The Party leaders put substantial weight on promoting products embedded with high‐added value or technological content. At the same time, they underscored the willingness to downscale the export share of energy‐intensive or polluting industries. We evaluate whether environmental and economic concern impacts product upgrading. According to the results of this study, the VAT refund is effective only for products produced in “cleaner” industries, for products necessitating technical skills, a range of know‐how in manufacturing, and high‐level technology or engaging in research and development activities. Our paper introduces a new and unexplored variable in the trade literature. We use the stock of non‐trade barriers to explicate the change in product quality. In the import market, Chinese exporters comply with the change in regulation by making upward adjustments in the quality.

Population size spatial distribution adjustment at different urban hierarchies in China

ABSTRACTUrban population size dynamic adjustment has been widely studied for a long time; however, the dynamic adjustment at the urban hierarchy level remains unknown. This study utilises China’s urban population data to investigate the dynamic adjustment. Specifically, we utilise methods of the Gini coefficient, linear regression, and coefficients of Spearman, and Moran’s I to explore the dynamic adjustment tendency, adjustment rate and correlation of urban population size distribution of different urban hierarchies and groups of different urban hierarchies. We find that the urban population size spatial distribution is gradually even within the same urban hierarchy. The adjustment rate to be even of Megacity II is the highest, and Megacity I is the bottom. We also find the population size spatial distribution of the whole urban system is gradually uneven. We explore the dynamic process by sorting urban hierarchies into six groups. Furthermore, we find there is a complex correlation between different urban hierarchies and global spatial correlation among China cities. These results are valuable as references for Chinese policy-makers and practitioners and will enable them to adopt sustainable land use and urban population management measures. The study outcomes will also benefit future studies on spatial population size distribution in international communities.