Category: Publications

Housing Price Volatility and the Capital Account in China

China experienced significant volatility in its housing market from 2005-2013. Economists analyzing the determinants of volatility in these markets find that the bubble was largely driven by factors specific to the Chinese economy and Chinese economic policy. In a 2015 working paper, Yuan Tian and Kevin P. Gallagher examine the extent to which short-term capital […]

Chinese Investment in Peru’s Mining Industry: Blessing or Curse?

Over the last decade, Peru has become one of Latin America’s economic success stories, by achieving sustained growth under a political democracy, cutting poverty in half and producing an expanding new middle class.  Peru’s expanding relationship with China has played an important role in Peru’s economic growth. In particular, Peru’s trade and investment relationship with […]

China in Mexico: Some Environmental and Employment Dimensions

Over the last two decades, Mexico-China trade has grown enormously, particularly imports from China to Mexico, following China’s entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001. This created a significant foreign trade deficit for Mexico with China and led to tensions between the two countries as Mexico regained US markets. Only recently have tensions begun […]

A Line in the Equatorial Forests: Chinese Investment and the Environmental and Social Impacts of Extractive Industries in Ecuador

For the last several years, China has become an invaluable trading partner to Ecuador, ensuring Ecuador’s access to international credit markets after its partial bond default and provided an important source of new investment and trade revenue during the recent global downturn.  The partnership also increased the importance of petroleum in Ecuador’s overall export basket. […]

Chinese Incidence on the Chilean Solar Power Sector

Over the last decade, China has become an important ally in Chile’s goal of diversifying its energy matrix away from fossil fuels. China’s over-production of solar panels came at an opportune time for Chile, which was looking for new sources of low-emissions electricity after Argentina drastically reduced its gas exports. Solar power is still nascent […]

An Assessment of the Environmental and Social Impacts of Chinese Trade and FDI in Bolivia

China has become an important partner for Bolivia, both diplomatically and economically, having signed over 400 cooperation, aid and loan agreements. The country has also been a small but fast-growing partner, active in Bolivia’s mining sector and set to be Bolivia’s main partner in developing its lithium reserves. Bolivia’s exports to China have been concentrated […]