Legacy of the Past: Evaluating the Long-Term Impact of Historical Trade Ports on Contemporary Industrial Agglomeration in China

Sun Yuqin (), Liu Ping () and Yang Zhao ()
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Sun Yuqin: School of International Trade and Economics, University of International Business and Economics, No. 10 Huixin East Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, P. R. China
Liu Ping: School of International Trade and Economics, University of International Business and Economics, No. 10 Huixin East Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, P. R. China
Yang Zhao: School of International Trade and Economics, University of International Business and Economics, No. 10 Huixin East Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100029, P. R. China

Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment Journal, 2025, vol. 19, issue 1, 19

Abstract: Since its economic reforms and opening up, China has experienced rapid economic growth; however, regional disparities in economic development have continued to widen. In exploring the causes of regional economic disparities, historical factors have played a significant role. Grounded in the theory of New Economic Geography, this study examines the long-term impacts of trade port openings in the late Qing Dynasty on contemporary industrial agglomeration and regional economic imbalances and further investigates the mechanisms through which trade ports influence contemporary industrial agglomeration. By quantitatively analyzing historical and contemporary industrial indicators of counties and prefecture-level cities with and without trade ports, we find that the opening of these ports not only propelled the development of modern industry in the late Qing Dynasty but also significantly affects contemporary industrial agglomeration. Furthermore, areas with historical trade ports exhibit higher levels of foreign direct investment (FDI) and international trade today, indicating a greater degree of economic openness. Moreover, the interactions between foreign trade, FDI, and ports have historically stimulated modern industrial development and continue to foster industrial agglomeration today. This research highlights the importance of economic openness and underscores the necessity of considering historical factors when formulating regional development strategies.

Keywords: trade port; path dependence; new economic geography; regional disparities; industrial agglomeration; economic openness; staggered difference-in-differences (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bpj:econoa:v:19:y:2025:i:1:p:19:n:1002

DOI: 10.1515/econ-2025-0147

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