消费者异质性、中间品贸易自由化与个体福利分配

Consumer Heterogeneity,Trade Liberalization of Intermediate Inputs and Distribution Effects of Individual Welfare

本文首先从理论上证明,中间品贸易自由化通过降低企业生产成本,提高总体生产率,增加产品种类,使得工业制成品价格下降,最终提高消费者的福利;因为高收入者消费的工业制成品份额较大,所以从中间品贸易自由化过程中获利的程度也越大。实证结论发现,中间品进口关税每降低10%,工业制成品价格平均下降2.51%;平均而言,中间品贸易自由化使得中国城市居民家庭的消费福利上升8.178%,而且这种福利提升作用更有利于高收入家庭。本文不仅揭示了中间品贸易自由化的消费效应,而且提供了重要的政策含义,即在中国实施扩大进口战略的背景下,需要关注中间品贸易自由化导致的福利分配不平等问题。

By developing a theoretical model, our study firstly proves that trade liberalization of intermediate inputs can decrease the prices of consumption goods, and ultimately improve the welfare of consumers by reducing the production cost of manufacturing enterprises and increasing the overall variety of products. Because the proportion of industrial manufactured goods consumed by high-income people is relatively large, the benefits from trade liberalization of intermediate inputs are also greater. Further empirical research shows that for every 10% reduction in import tariffs on intermediate goods, the price falls by an average of 2.51%. On average, the liberalization of trade in intermediate goods has increased the consumption welfare of Chinese urban households by 8.178%, and the increase of welfare is more conducive to high-income families. Our research findings not only reveal the consumption effect of the liberalization of trade in intermediate goods, but also provide important policy implications. In the context of China’s implementation of an import expansion strategy, it is necessary to pay attention to the issue of welfare inequality caused by the liberalization of trade in intermediate inputs.