Rethinking the competition of export trade based on the bipartite network

ABSTRACT Firms’ perceptions of economic policy uncertainty (FEPU) exhibit heterogeneity, and current measures of firm-level uncertainty fail to capture their sentimental judgements about uncertainty. This paper constructs an innovative FEPU index based on textual information from listed firms’ annual reports and employs textual sentiment analysis. Furthermore, this paper integrates matching data from the China Customs Import and Export Trade Database and listed firms to examine how FEPU affects export performance from a resource reallocation perspective. Empirical analysis shows that when FEPU increases, export value and quality decline, but it has no significant effect on improving export product diversification or export market concentration. The analysis reveals that FEPU influences export performance by reducing industrial robot investment (IRI), improving labour allocation efficiency (LAE), and minifying imported intermediate product input (IIPI). Higher levels of internationalization of innovation (IIN) and global value chain embedding (GVCE) significantly mitigate the weakening effect of FEPU on export performance. The results, which differentiate between firm ownership and export trade type, indicate that FEPU has a significant inhibitory effect on the export performance of SOE and general trade types, while the export performance of private enterprises and processing trade products is not significantly affected by FEPU.

Abstract Migrants shape market access: They reduce international trade frictions and they affect the geographical location of demand. This article incorporates both effects in a model of inter- and intranational trade and migration calibrated to U.S. states. It estimates the elasticity of exports and imports to migrants and shows that reducing U.S. migrant population shares to 1980s levels would increase import (export) trade costs by 7% (2.5%) and decrease U.S. natives’ real wages by more than 2%. States with higher exposure to migrant consumer demand than to migrant labor competition would suffer more, as would states with higher export and import exposure.

This study examines the strategic role of sake as an instrument of cultural diplomacy within the framework of trade relations between Japan and Europe, using a theoretical approach that combines the concepts of soft power, gastrodiplomacy, and nation branding. Sake, as a traditional Japanese fermented beverage rooted in the spiritual and social practices of society, has undergone a reorientation of its function from domestic consumption to a symbol of national cultural identity promoted internationally. Through the Cool Japan policy, the Japanese government actively positions sake as a key element in public diplomacy, linking cultural heritage with export trade strategies.The implementation of the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) since 2018, which includes geographical indication (GI) protection, provides additional legitimacy for the authenticity of sake in the European market. Promotional strategies involving culinary festivals, cross-industry collaborations, and product narratives emphasizing aesthetic value, origins, and traditional production techniques have successfully enhanced European public perception of sake and, more broadly, of Japan. Export data shows significant growth, with France, the United Kingdom, and Germany contributing the most, indicating the success of this approach in expanding market penetration. However, this dynamic is not without criticism, including the commodification of cultural values, exclusion of small producers, and the risk of reducing the spiritual meaning of sake in a commercialized context.Therefore, this study emphasizes the importance of cultural diplomacy that not only highlights visual appeal and market narratives but also commits to preserving values and the participation of local cultural communities. In conclusion, sake diplomacy offers an intriguing model for the integration of culture and economy in international relations, demonstrating that cultural products can serve as an effective means to build cross-national relations rooted in empathy, experience, and appreciation for the uniqueness of traditions.

Environmental regulations serve as a critical determinant of industrial competitiveness in the global market. Recent policy shifts have driven a gradual convergence of rural environmental standards with urban norms, fostering a dynamic landscape of “top-down competition” between urban and rural regulatory frameworks. While the economic consequences of regional regulatory disparities are well-documented, the specific impacts of this regulatory convergence remain insufficiently explored. To address this gap, this study constructs a novel index to measure the convergence of environmental regulations between urban districts and rural counties at the prefecture level. Utilizing an unbalanced panel dataset of 5600 county-level timber processing enterprises, the Heckman two-stage model is employed for empirical analysis. The results demonstrate that the convergence of urban and rural environmental regulations significantly enhances both the export probability and export intensity of county-level firms, with these effects exhibiting persistence and cumulative growth over time. These findings remain robust across a series of validation tests, including instrumental variable estimation, double machine learning, and alternative model specifications. Mechanism analysis reveals that regulatory convergence promotes exports primarily by improving access to green credit and enhancing peer quality within the industry. Furthermore, heterogeneity tests indicate that the positive effects are most pronounced for start-ups and firms in the decline stage, as well as for enterprises located in eastern China, those outside the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and those subject to minimal government intervention. This study provides critical micro-level evidence that helps enterprises navigate the evolving policy landscape and supports the formulation of strategies to boost export trade amidst the integration of environmental regulations.

Heavy metal contamination in seafood is a major concern for public health and export trade in Vietnam. In this work, a novel magnetic-assisted electrochemical sensor based on Fe₃O₄@UiO-66-Py/rGO nanocomposite is...

This study investigates the relationship between foreign trade and economic growth in Nigeria. The objectives of the study are to; determine the effects of import growth rate, export growth rate, trade openness and exchange rate on Nigeria's economic growth. Using an ex-post facto research design and log-linear regression on secondary time-series data from 1985 to 2023, the study found that, import growth and export growth positively influence economic growth, with imports showing a stronger elasticity, indicating Nigeria's growth is largely import-driven. Trade openness was found to have a negative and significant impact on GDP, suggesting that high import dependency and limited export diversification expose the economy to external shocks. A positive relationship was observed between exchange rate and GDP, largely reflecting increased Naira earnings from dollar-denominated oil exports. The findings reveal that, despite the potential benefits of foreign trade, structural weaknesses, such as overdependence on crude oil, exchange rate volatility, and inefficient trade policies, undermine Nigeria's developmental gains. The study recommended amongst others, prioritizing export diversification beyond oil and strategically managing trade openness to promote economic growth.

International shipping plays a vital role in global trade but remains a significant source of CO2 emissions, posing challenges for global climate goals. This study systematically investigates the evolution of shipping CO2 emissions associated with countries' maritime export trade from 1995 to 2021 using a trade-driven approach and evaluates disparities in national emission patterns. Results show a shift from a high-income dominance toward a more balanced distribution, with growing contributions from upper-middle-income and emerging economies. While the global average GDP-normalized shipping emission intensity declined by 33.6% during the study period, substantial variations exist across economies. Middle-income countries once exhibited nearly twice the GDP-based emission intensity of high-income economies, but this gap has narrowed with economic diversification. Per capita shipping emissions saw only modest growth globally, yet differences across countries remain pronounced. High-income countries account for over half of global emissions despite representing only 15% of the world's population, maintaining persistently above-average per capita levels. Major emitters─including the United States, Australia, Brazil, and China─show striking contrasts: Australia records both GDP- and population-normalized intensities well above the global average, whereas China's values fall below it, underscoring structural inequities in the distribution of the shipping-related carbon burden. These findings highlight persistent disparities in maritime emissions and underscore the need for a differentiated, multimetric framework to guide equitable responsibility allocation.

Synergy of embodied carbon emission, sulfur emission, and employment in China’s light industry export trade

This paper analyzes the impact of U.S. tariff impositions on China on the exports of China’s key industries, particularly the mechanical equipment sector, amid escalating Sino-U. S. trade frictions. Employing the GTAP model, the study simulates and examines changes in China’s mechanical equipment exports under varying tariff levels. The results indicate that as tariff rates increase, China’s exports of mechanical equipment to the United States decline overall, with the electronic equipment and transportation equipment sub-sectors being the most severely affected. Concurrently, China’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and social welfare decrease with rising tariffs, whereas the United States experiences slight growth in both GDP and welfare under certain scenarios. This research provides a quantitative basis for adjusting China’s mechanical equipment export policies and offers strategic recommendations for navigating the high-tariff environment.

ABSTRACT In terms of trade determinants, digital trade exhibits distinct disparities compared to traditional trade. This paper investigates the role of the digital legal framework as a new source of comparative advantage in digital trade development. Utilising cross‐border digital trade data covering 107 exporting countries or regions, 127 importing partners, and 8 industries in 2019, we empirically analyse the impact effect and underlying mechanisms of the digital legal framework on cross‐border digital trade. The findings reveal that the digital legal framework significantly enhances a country's comparative advantage in digital trade, thereby fostering cross‐border digital trade exports. Furthermore, we find that the digital legal framework facilitates digital trade by influencing institutional distance and lowering trade costs. Additionally, its effects are more pronounced in developing countries, as well as in economies with stronger contract enforcement and stricter regulatory environments. This study provides new evidence on the determinants of digital trade from dual perspectives of the source of comparative advantage and institutional drivers, offering valuable insights for enhancing the digital legal framework and developing strategies to promote digital trade.

Abstract In the middle of the nineteenth century the economic policy of the Ottoman Empire began to change. Economic developments during this period led to fluctuations in the Ottoman Empire’s import, export, and foreign trade balance. In this study the relationship between the variables of public expenditures, imports, exports, and trade openness is analyzed to test the validity of the compensation and efficiency hypotheses under the economic conditions of the Ottoman Empire between 1846 and 1913. The Fourier ADL cointegration test and estimators for long-run coefficients were used for the analysis. The results show that there is a long-run cointegration relationship between imports-government expenditures, and openness to internationalization-government expenditures. When analyzing the long-run coefficients, it is concluded that an increase in imports and openness to international trade increases government expenditures. These results show that the compensation hypothesis is valid.

ABSTRACT Enhancing export product quality is critical for countries to evolve from large to strong trading nations, with digital technology-driven changes increasingly acting as a key engine for global foreign trade development. Drawing on multisource heterogeneous data from Chinese listed enterprises and customs between 2001 and 2015, this investigation examines how digitalization influences the caliber of exported products. Our findings demonstrate that firm digitalization increases the quality of China’s exported products through cost reduction, R&D promotion, and the alleviation of financing constraint effects. Moreover, while enhancing quality, digitalization enables rational price reductions, increasing firms’ export volume and profitability. Digitalization also involves a significant bias in quality enhancement, particularly in terms of favoring differentiated goods, general trade exports, and exports to developing countries. This study clarifies the behavioral mechanisms of microenterprises under digitalization and provides an empirical basis for achieving trade power status via digital pathways.

ABSTRACT This article examines the influence of the restricted export trade policy on technological innovation in Chinese high‐tech companies. The data of A‐share listed firms from 2006 to 2020 are selected as the sample from a micro‐enterprise level. The PSM‐DID method is used to research the innovation input and innovation output. The research findings conclude that the restricted export trade policy will promote high‐tech companies to enlarge their investment in R&D manpower and funds at the cost of the innovation output and quality. For the action mechanism, human capital flow effect and competitive effect play a significant positive intermediary role in innovation input, while learning effect and external cost effect play a negative intermediary role in innovation output. From the perspective of enterprise heterogeneity, enterprises with different sizes, equity structures and life cycles present differently in technological innovation in high‐tech industries when they are impacted by the restricted export trade policy.

The global economy is undergoing a rapid transformation driven by digital technologies that are reshaping international trade. Digitalization—defined as the integration of digital technologies into business and government processes—has emerged as a critical factor influencing export performance, competitiveness, supply chain efficiency, and market reach. This paper critically examines the role of digitalization in export trade by synthesizing empirical research from multiple regions and sectors, including manufacturing, services, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). It assesses both quantitative outcomes (e.g., export volume growth, cost reductions) and qualitative implications (e.g., transformation of trade structures, enhanced service exports). Empirical studies indicate that digitalization reduces trade costs, enhances connectivity, and broadens access to global value chains, thereby positively affecting export participation and diversification. However, benefits depend on digital readiness, infrastructure quality, and firm-level capabilities. Digitalization also enables new forms of trade, such as e-commerce and digitally deliverable services, which are driving global export growth and contributing significantly to services trade. Despite advantages, digitalization presents challenges: skill gaps, cybersecurity risks, regulatory heterogeneity, and unequal access to digital infrastructure can limit its potential. Policy actions that strengthen digital infrastructure, promote digital adoption among exporters—particularly SMEs—and ensure regulatory harmonization can amplify the positive impact of digitalization on export trade. The paper concludes with recommendations for stakeholders to leverage digital technologies strategically to enhance export competitiveness and sustainable growth.

Abstract Drawing on unbalanced panel data with a maximum of 271,656 bilateral trade flow observations from 1996 to 2021, this study investigates both the linear and nonlinear influence of national Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance gaps on green exports. When the ESG performance of the exporting country exceeds that of the destination country, the results indicate that an increase in the ESG gap significantly stimulates green exports, and there is evidence that this stimulating effect is achieved by widening green innovation gaps. However, the marginal effect diminishes as environmental regulations in the destination country become more stringent. Conversely, when the exporting country’s ESG performance is lower, narrowing the ESG gap leads to an N-shaped relationship with green exports, which remains U-shaped after removing the extremes. This research provides empirical evidence and policy implications for the trade effects of ESG performance from a macro perspective, while supporting the rationality and necessity of the ESG concept.

Since the Belt and Road Initiative was proposed in 2013, it has been a contemporary research topic for scholars from different countries. The Belt and Road Initiative is a new way for China to put more effort into reforming the economy. The experiment offers China a new way of thinking about development. It is also a sustainable way of promoting global co-development. The paper focused on Malaysia within the ASEAN countries and it will influence the process of economic development in Asia and even globally, especially the cultural challenges impact Malaysia's export volume, with a focus on Chinese international trade enterprises. Therefore, studying the factor of cultural challenge affecting economic and trade activities between China and Malaysia has a positive impact on the development of trade in the Belt and Road Initiative. This research seeks to reconfirm whether the culture has an impact on the export volume of Chinese international trading firms. The study employed the stratified sampling method to select senior managers, middle managers and sales team leader responsible for export business in import and export trading companies in Guangdong Province as respondents. In this research, questionnaires were collected using the platform ‘Question Star’. The data was collected from these practitioners with extensive experience in importing and exporting. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 26 software after the questionnaire was completed. Based on the results of the analyses, this study concludes that the Malaysian culture showed an impact on the export volume of Chinese trading firms. The export volume of Chinese companies is positively affected if the culture changes in a trade-friendly way. Ultimately, the study suggests that responding to cultural challenges gently not only promotes export trade but also reduces conflict.

Abstract This article explores the reactions of white U.S. elite travelers to the greater Caribbean in the Gilded Age and progressive era. Focusing on the tropical port system that was the center of the region’s commodity export trade and simultaneously a center of visitor transit, it explores how visitors’ negative reactions, especially of disgust, fed into the politics of race and empire by attributing the effects of rapid globalization to non-white autonomy in the region.

The tariff measures launched during Donald Trump’s presidency substantially remodeled global trade patterns, with profound impact for India’s economy. This paper examines the impact of these tariffs on India’s export potential, trade balances, and sectoral growth, particularly in steel, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and agriculture. It also explores cascade effects through supply chain disruptions, shifts in bilateral trade relations, and the strategic reform of India’s trade policy. Using trade statistics, policy analysis, and global market trends, the study appraises both short-term and long-term impressions. The findings provide insights into how protectionisms abroad impact emerging economies like India, designing their economic sustainability and resilience measures.

Eastern India, particularly Bengal and to some extent northeast Andhra Pradesh, was a major hub in the Indian Ocean sugar trade. The fertile and well-watered areas of this vast region were able to meet the growing demand for sugar in the intra-Asian trade. Although sugar exports from Bengal began to decline in the second half of the eighteenth century, it continued to be consumed both locally and regionally. Little is known about the role of eastern India in the early modern regional and overseas sugar trade. This article makes a modest contribution to the region’s experience of commercial agriculture by describing sugarcane cultivation, sugar production and trade. It explains why the sugar export trade became marginal and how regional consumption remained resilient in the late eighteenth century. It sheds light on the region’s participation in intra-Asian trade, sugarcane cultivation and sugar production practices using data from the Dutch East India Company archives and other early colonial documents.