Research & Projects

The Chinese economy has been playing an increasingly significant role on the global stage. This book is the sixth annual project of Asia Competitiveness Institute studying competitiveness at the sub-national level of Greater China. ACI's flagship competitiveness study not only adopts a comprehensive framework to measure competitiveness by incorporating 102 indicators under four environments and 11 sub-environments, but is also undertaken at the sub-national level to account for the considerable disparities within a large economy like Greater China. The comparative strengths and weaknesses based on the scores and rankings as well as the what-if simulation analysis can be used to formulate development strategies that are specific and of practical value for each sub-national economy and region.

The Shapley methodology adopted by ACI introduces a novel approach for the assignment of weights to the various indicators that constitute competitiveness. This concept has introduced an element of objectivity in terms of the assignment of weights. The findings using the Shapley value also tend to validate the robustness of results obtained from the competitiveness studies over the past years.

Moreover, the empirical research featured in this book attempts to understand the drivers of exports of Mainland China provinces, with a specific focus on real effective exchange rate movements and volatility. Nowadays with the international flows of goods and capital becoming ubiquitous and comprising an important aspect of national competitiveness, the role of exchange rate is drawing much more policy attention. In view of this, the research findings presented in this book make an important academic and policy contribution by empirically examining the relationship between exports and exchange rate.

Finally, the timing of this publication makes it indispensable to include some dedicated discussions of the trade disputes between the US and China. Several topics would be discussed in this book, including China's protection on Intellectual Property Rights, its violation of World Trade Organisation rules, challenges to its economic growth, the development of its three regional megalopolises, and how to mitigate the impact and ramification of its trade war against the US. This book attempts to identify the growing concerns in the US–China trade tension and provide suggestions for China's development in the future.

This book is the fifth annual project of the Asia Competitiveness Institute studying competitiveness at the sub-national level of Greater China. ACI's flagship competitiveness study adopts a comprehensive framework to measure competitiveness by incorporating 102 indicators under four environments and 11 sub-environments. By undertaking the study at the sub-national level, it accounts for the considerable disparities within a large economy like Greater China. The study's unique methodology incorporates comparative strengths and weaknesses, and what-if policy simulations aimed at policy suggestions for each sub-national economy and region.

A new feature of this competitiveness study introduces the concept of Shapley value for the assignment of weights to the various indicators that constitute competitiveness. This methodological innovation not only adds an element of objectivity in terms of the assignment of weights, but also validates the robustness of results obtained from the competitiveness studies over the past years.

Moreover, the empirical research featured in this book attempts to understand the drivers of FDI inflows to Mainland China, with a specific focus on exchange rate movements and volatility. Nowadays with the international flows of goods and capital becoming ubiquitous and comprising an important aspect of national competitiveness, the role of exchange rate is drawing much more policy attention. In view of this, the research findings presented in this book make an important academic and policy contribution by empirically examining the relationship between FDI inflows and exchange rate.

Finally, the timing of this publication makes it indispensable to include the interpretation and reconciliation of policy development of China after the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China held in October 2017. With the growing prosperity of its people and the improvement of its international status, China would "realise the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation and see the people realise their aspirations for a better life." As such, China has achieved the transformation from regaining dignity to becoming prosperous and growing strong to be a great modern socialist country visualised by President Xi Jinping. This book attempts to investigate the vision of "growing strong to be a great modern socialist country" from different aspects.

ISBN: 978-981-3226-78-4 (hardcover)
ISBN: 978-981-3226-80-7 (ebook)

Although the successful economic transformation and reform of China since the 1970s could be regarded as a triumph in human history, China now has entered into the New Normal Era and encountered some slow-down in the recent years. The perspective of China’s growth under the New Normal Era would matter for both domestic and global economy.

As the third instalment of ACI’s annual tracking of the dynamics of competitiveness for Greater China, this volume includes the rankings and simulations results at both provincial and regional level which would offer insights for policy makers, industry leaders and other stakeholders in identifying challenges and opportunities for sound decision making. As an important part to determine the success of China’s structure change, a topic on the agricultural productivity is also discussed in details where quantitative research is conducted to estimate the agricultural total factor productivity at the provincial level, which would provide policy recommendations to help China to achieve its self-sufficiency in terms agricultural products.

ISBN: 978-981-3148-32-1 (hardcover)
ISBN: 978-981-3200-13-5 (ebook)

After more than three decades of rapid growth, China is now entering into the New Normal Era, which will be characterised by slower but sustainable, quality growth for several decades to come. How China will fare under the New Normal Era matters not only for itself but also for its great impact on global prosperity.

While presenting as the second instalment of ACI's annual tracking of the dynamics of competitiveness among 34 Greater China economies, this volume also includes the results of the inaugural regional competitiveness analysis for five regions of Greater China. As regional imbalance in socioeconomic advancement is a serious issue China has to face up to under the New Normal Era, the results of such competitiveness analysis at provincial and regional levels offer insights for policy-makers to help address concerns associated with the regional disparity in development, and facilitate industry leaders and other stakeholders in identifying challenges and opportunities for sound decision making.

ISBN: 978-981-4730-63-1 (hardcover)
ISBN: 978-981-4730-65-5 (ebook)

中国正逐步获得作为崛起中的世界经济大国的国际影响力和全球领导力。中国未来的表现，将决定其过去三十年来的经济觉醒历程能否成为其他发展中国家值得效仿的模式。

本书集合了面向34大中华经济体的政策报告，并呈现了相关数据及分析结果。附属于新加坡国立大学李光耀公共政策学院的亚洲竞争力研究所(ACI)对竞争力这一关键性概念进行了全方位的透视与审查，考虑了共同决定一个经济体能否具有实现持续性的重大的兼顾社会公平的包容性的经济发展的能力所需要的各种条件与要素。

在基本的竞争力排名的基础上，亚洲竞争力研究所还进行了针对各经济体如何能够提高其竞争力水平的政策模拟分析。这些基于数据的模拟性的政策分析是值得注意的很有价值的研究命题，它能帮助决策者、业界领袖和管理人员发现他们面临的挑战和机遇，以揭示重点，从而优化公共政策和发展战略的制定。

ISBN: 978-981-4566-88-9 (hardcover)
ISBN: 978-981-3229-91-4 (ebook)