Productivity Gains from Agglomeration and Migration in the People's Republic of China between 2002 and 2013

Asian Development Review 34:2

17 Pages Posted: 25 Aug 2017

See all articles by Pierre-Philippe Combes

Pierre-Philippe Combes

Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po) - Department of Economics; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

Sylvie Démurger

University of Lyon 2 - Groupe d'Analyse et de Théorie Economique (GATE)

Shi Li

Beijing Normal University (BNU) - School of Economics and Business Administration

Date Written: August 23, 2017

Abstract

We evaluate the evolution of productivity gains in cities in the People’s Republic of China between 2002 and 2013. In 2002, rural migrants exerted a strong positive externality on the earnings of urban residents, which were also higher on average in cities with access to foreign markets through a seaport. In 2007 and 2013, city size (measured in terms of both employment density and land area) was the crucial determinant of productivity. Market access, whether internal or external, played no direct role. Rural migrants still enhanced urban residents’ earnings in 2007 and 2013, though the effect was less than half that in 2002. Urban gains and their evolution over time are very similar on a total and a per hour earnings basis. Finally, skilled workers and females experienced slightly larger gains than unskilled workers and males.

Keywords: agglomeration economies, migration, cities, urban development, wage disparities

JEL Classification: J31, O18, O53, R12, R23

Suggested Citation

Combes, Pierre-Philippe and Démurger, Sylvie and Li, Shi, Productivity Gains from Agglomeration and Migration in the People's Republic of China between 2002 and 2013 (August 23, 2017). Asian Development Review 34:2, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3025045

Pierre-Philippe Combes

Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po) - Department of Economics ( email )

28, rue des Saints peres
Paris, 75007
France

HOME PAGE: http://https://www.gate.cnrs.fr/ppcombes

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

Sylvie Démurger (Contact Author)

University of Lyon 2 - Groupe d'Analyse et de Théorie Economique (GATE) ( email )

93, chemin des Mouilles
Ecully, 69130
France
(33 4) 72 86 61 05 (Phone)
(33 4) 72 86 60 90 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.gate.cnrs.fr/spip.php?article22

Shi Li

Beijing Normal University (BNU) - School of Economics and Business Administration ( email )

No.19 Xinwai Str
Haidian District
Beijing, 100875
China

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