WTO Membership and Trade : A Study of the Effect of China's WTO Accession on Chinese Trade

Abstract: The remarkable development of China’s economy is often attributed to China’s accession to the WTO and the volume and value of world trade has increased dramatically since the creation of the GATT/WTO. Yet, the efficiency and relevance of the organization in increasing trade are questioned. This study provides an empirical examination of the impact of China’s WTO accession on the Chinese trade, based on country-level trade data during the period 1962-2014. Using the gravity model of trade and several estimation methods the results of this study suggest that China’s accession to the WTO has increased the Chinese trade with the member countries substantially. The findings are in line with theory and consistent with previous literature on the trade effect of China’s WTO accession. The study contributes to advance the knowledge of the WTO’s impact on trade flows in general and to the limited econometric literature on the effect of China’s WTO accession on Chinese trade in particular.