Topic: Local Government Response to Trade Liberalization: Evidence from China

Speaker: MA Guangrong

Abstract: Trade liberalization generates winners and losers within a country. How do policies respond? In this paper, we investigate the responses of local governments to tariff liberalization in China. Tariff reductions reduced local fiscal revenue, mainly through lowering tax revenue from value-added tax and corporate income tax. More than 40% of this tax revenue reduction is due to a lower effective tax rate, suggesting that local governments loosened tax collection enforcement to compensate firms adversely affected by tariff cuts. On the other hand, tightened fiscal revenue constrained local government`s ability to provide social welfare programs or public goods, both of which we do not find positive responses.

Date: Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Time: 10:00-12:00

Location: Room 112, Main Building, Shahe Campus, CUFE