Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/206999 
Year of Publication: 
2018
Series/Report no.: 
Bruegel Working Paper No. 2018/06
Publisher: 
Bruegel, Brussels
Abstract: 
China's increasingly important role in the global economy has transformed the nature of global competition and reshaped international trade. Meanwhile, the European Union has long been the most important power in global trade and continues to run a very large trade surplus. We address whether China is an increasingly relevant competitor for Europe in third markets, and in particular in Latin America. More specifi cally, we empirically estimate the elasticity of substitution between European exports and Chinese exports to Latin American economies (ie how their exports to Latin America respond to the changes in relative exporting prices). Our results show that the degree of competition between China and the EU in Latin America has increased over time. Before 2007, China and the EU competed less with each other, partly reflecting the fact that China was mainly exporting low-quality products. However, the elasticity of substitution has increased since 2007, reflecting China's ascent up the value-added chain. We also look at competition between China and the EU in the key EU sectors that export to Latin America. We fi nd that China-EU competition is fiercer in electrical machinery and road vehicles. Th is finding should be a wake-up call to Europe in its quest to remain competitive at the global level.
Document Type: 
Working Paper
Appears in Collections:

Files in This Item:
File
Size
815.51 kB





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.