Outsourcing Tariff Evasion: A New Explanation for Entrepôt Trade
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Summary:
Traditional explanations for indirect trade carried out through an entrepôt have focused on savings in transport costs and on the role of specialized agents in processing and distribution. We provide an alternative perspective based on the possibility that entrepôts may facilitate tariff evasion. Using data on direct exports to mainland China and indirect exports to it via Hong Kong SAR, we find that the indirect export rate rises with the Chinese tariff rate, even though there is no legal tax advantage to sending goods via Hong Kong SAR. We undertake a number of extensions to rule out plausible alternative hypotheses.
Series:
Working Paper No. 2005/102
Subject:
English
Publication Date:
May 1, 2005
ISBN/ISSN:
9781451861211/1018-5941
Stock No:
WPIEA2005102
Pages:
18
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