Impact of Logistics Development Level on International Trade in China: A Provincial Analysis

Wei Ma, Xiaoshu Cao and Jiyuan Li
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Wei Ma: School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
Xiaoshu Cao: Center for Land Resources Research in Northwest China, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China
Jiyuan Li: Center for Land Resources Research in Northwest China, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 4, 1-18

Abstract: Transport infrastructure and logistics are gradually becoming important factors affecting global trade. At the same time, with the international logistics corridor along the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) going deep into construction, China is emerging as a unique case to study how logistics affects international trade. Therefore, based on the evaluation index system of logistics development level of China’s provinces by using the entropy method, this paper systematically analyzed the impact of logistics development level on bilateral trade from 31 China’s provinces to 65 countries along the BRI by using the improved gravity model with data for the period 2008–2018. Empirical results show: (1) Logistics development level had significantly promoted international trade development. (2) Compared with partner countries, China’s provincial logistics development level presented a greater impact on bilateral trade. (3) Influence of logistics development level was manifested in different periods, different international and regions, especially, logistics development level coefficient of the western region was negative, while that in eastern region was positive. In view of the above research results, we argue that strengthening domestic and international logistics construction is not only conductive to the sustainable development of China’s future trade, but also help to realize the coordinated development between China’s eastern, central and western regions.

Keywords: logistics development level; international trade; gravity model; China; the Belt and Road Initiative (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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