The hidden cost of trade liberalization: Input tariff shocks and worker health in China

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Fan, Haichao; Lin, Faqin; Lin, Shu
• 署名单位: Fudan University; China Agricultural University; Chinese University of Hong Kong; Shanghai Institute of International Finance & Economics
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0022-1996
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jinteco.2020.103349
• 发表日期: 2020
• 关键词: Input tariff; trade liberalization; HEALTH; Welfare disparity; CHINA

摘要

This study examines the health effect of input tariff reductions on Chinese manufacturing workers and its heterogeneity across skill levels. We first provide a simple model to demonstrate the mechanisms. We then put the predictions of the model into a test using the China Health and Nutrition Survey data. Exploiting prefecture variations in input tariff shocks, we find that input tariff reductions following China's WTO accession adversely affect worker health through increased working hours. Moreover, input tariff reductions widen both the income and the health gaps between skilled and unskilled workers. Further welfare analysis indicates that ignoring health outcomes would substantially underestimate the welfare disparity between skilled and unskilled workers. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.