Special Economic Zones and Human Capital Investment: 30 Years of Evidence from China&DAG;

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Lu, Fangwen; Sun, Weizeng; Wu, Jianfeng
• 署名单位: Peking University; Central University of Finance & Economics; Fudan University; Fudan University
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC JOURNAL-ECONOMIC POLICY
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1945-7731
• DOI: 10.1257/pol.20200492
• 发表日期: 2023
• 页码: 35-64
• 关键词: Skill Acquisition; reforms; IMPACT; POLICY

摘要

By exploiting the large quantity and rich variety of special economic zones (SEZs) in China, this study investigates how such zones affect human capital investment. Results show that SEZs significantly increase the local high school enrollment rate, but the impact varies across zone types: technology-oriented zones encourage education, while export-led zones discourage it. The increased job opportunities and wage premiums inside SEZs for employees with high school education increase high school enrollment, while such opportunities and wages for employees with middle school education decrease enrollment. A very small portion of the impact, if any, can be attributed to increased income. (JEL I21, I26, J24, J31, O15, P23, R32)