China Industrial Policies For An Economy In Transition

This volume describes the most salient changes faced by key Chinese industry sectors as defining components of global and domestic macroeconomic performance. Set within the context of the Global China 2049 initiative, which aims to transform the country into a fully advanced and developed nation, chapters focus specifically on industrial policies that are considered to be one of the main determinants of Chinese growth. Covering sectors such as healthcare, aerospace, microprocessors and other data driven industries, chapters highlight the pitfalls and anticipated successes of Chinese firms operating in the global competitive market. Importantly, the book fosters debate on how Chinese industries will achieve competitive growth in the post-pandemic era. Ultimately the book discusses the likelihood of China achieving a leading position in terms of processes and innovation and suggests a road to future research on China’s industrial trajectory. Francesca Spigarelli is Associate Professor of Applied Economics, at the University of Macerata and Director of the China Center. She is Vice Rector for Entrepreneurship and Technological Transfer and for European research policy and is member of the board of Chinese Globalization Association (www.chinagoesglobal.org). John McIntyre has been Director of the Georgia Tech Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER), a national center of excellence, since 1993 and a full Professor of International Business Management and International Relations with joint appointments in the College of Management and the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs of the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia.

The debate on industrial policy has been in full swing among the academic circles in recent years. The crux of this debate is not whether China needs industrial policies, but rather, the kind of industrial policies it wants. Given the profound changes to the domestic and international environments, and institutional background during China's industrial development, industrial policies must be able to make up for 'market failures,' while avoiding 'government failures'. To this end, it is suggested to establish a 'market-friendly' industrial policy system dominated by functional industrial policies, in accordance with the requirements of building an 'interactive and cooperative' government-market relationship to help transform and upgrade China's industries.

As China has blended market reforms with comprehensive industrial policies, most research has focused on the national government's strategies for economic growth. However, one of the unique characteristics of industrial policy in China is that it involves government intervention at all levels, from the political elite all the way down to village leaders. This book focuses on the domestic appliance industry, and China's three major business groups in this area - Haier, Hisense and Aucma. The Haier Group, in particular, is one of the most successful and competitive enterprises in China and is very well-placed to compete globally as the Chinese economy becomes more integrated with the world trading system. This volume shows how industrial policy is formulated at the national level and implemented at the local level, and examines how local government frequently intervenes in local enterprises' business strategy and management. Of practical importance, this book provides academics, business people and policy makers with valuable insights into the development process and a concrete understanding of the challenges faced in the global business revolution by one of the world's most dynamic economies.

In the past three decades, China has successfully transformed itself from an extremely poor economy to the world’s second largest economy. The country’s phenomenal economic growth has been sustained primarily by its rapid and continuous industrialisation. Currently industry accounts for nearly two-fifth of China’s gross domestic product, and since 2009 China has been the world’s largest exporter of manufactured products. This book explores the question of how far this industrial growth has been the product of government policies. It discusses how government policies and their priorities have developed and evolved, examines how industrial policies are linked to policies in other areas, such as trade, technology and regional development, and assesses how new policy initiatives are encouraging China’s increasing success in new technology-intensive industries. It also demonstrates how China’s industrial policies are linked to development of industrial clusters and regions.

China's current account surplus has declined to around one-quarter the peak reached before the global financial crisis. While this is a major reduction in China's external imbalance, it has not been accompanied by a decisive shift toward consumption-based growth. Instead, the compression in its external surplus has been accomplished through increasing fixed investment so that it is now an even higher share of China's national economy. This increasing reliance on fixed investment as the main driver of China's growth raises questions about the durability of the compression in the external surplus and the sustainability of the current growth model that has had unprecedented success in lifting about 500 million people out of poverty over the last three decades. This volume examines various aspects of the rebalancing process underway in China, highlighting policy lessons for achieving stable, sustainable, and inclusive growth.

The starting-point of Dr Chai's analysis is a careful examination of the structural elements of China's new economic system, focusing particularly on the decentralization of property rights in both the agricultural and industrial sectors. There follows a detailed analysis of changes in the functional elements of the system: its price and financial mechanisms. An assessment of the open-door policy also considers the twin impact of the liberalization of China's foreign trade and foreign investment regimes. Finally, China: Transition to a Market Economy highlights the increasingly important role of the non-state sector in facilitating economic growth and structural transformation.

China's Transition to a Global Economy analyses the nature of globalization in China and assesses its implications not only for the study of globalization itself but also that of regionalization and transition. China's approach to the global economy has so far stressed the liberalization of trade and investment flows and the development of a market economy. Important identifiers of globalization in China are thus the flows of labour, commodities and capital across borders and the emergence of market forms of organization. By these indexes, globalization in China has been gradual and uneven. As part of its approach to the global economy, the Chinese government has sought to manipulate the geography of economic development, both at the macro and local level. Examples include regional policies, special economic zones and high technology zones. Studies of these processes are complemented by two iconic examples of globalization and industrial development - a traditional industry (textiles) and a new industry (personal computers).