A Comparative Empirical Examination of Outward Direct Investment from Four Asian Economies: China, Japan, Republic of Korea and Taiwan

Workshop on Outward FDI from Developing Asia 2009

BBVA Working Paper No. 0924

January 2009Asian Development Review 26(2):86-101

23 Pages Posted: 3 Aug 2010 Last revised: 3 Aug 2021

See all articles by K. C. Fung

K. C. Fung

University of California at Santa Cruz

Alicia García-Herrero

Bruegel; Hong Kong University of Science & Technology (HKUST) - HKUST Institute for Emerging Market Studies (IEMS); Natixis

Alan Siu

The University of Hong Kong - School of Economics and Finance

Date Written: July 21, 2009

Abstract

In this paper we compare and contrast the determinants of outward direct investment from China with those from Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. We examine both descriptively as well as econometrically the various motives and factors behind the investment abroad from these four Asian economies. The hypotheses we are testing include the market-seeking hypothesis, the natural resource-seeking hypothesis, the technology acquisition hypothesis and the human capital hypothesis. We examine outward direct investment for China for the years 1991-2006, Japan for 1983-2007, Korea for 1980-2007 and Taiwan for 1968-2007.

Our results using the full set of determinants yield uniform support for the market-seeking hypothesis. The natural resource-seeking motives hold for Japan and Korea, while the technology acquisition hypothesis seems relevant for Taiwan. Chinese investments tend to go to destinations with poorer labor quality. In addition, openness is important for Japanese investment abroad, while distances deter investment from China and Korea.

Suggested Citation

Fung, K.C. and Garcia-Herrero, Alicia and Siu, Alan K. F., A Comparative Empirical Examination of Outward Direct Investment from Four Asian Economies: China, Japan, Republic of Korea and Taiwan (July 21, 2009). Workshop on Outward FDI from Developing Asia 2009, BBVA Working Paper No. 0924, January 2009Asian Development Review 26(2):86-101, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1471776 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1471776

K.C. Fung

University of California at Santa Cruz ( email )

Santa Cruz, CA 95064
United States
831-459-3273 (Phone)
831-459-5900 (Fax)

Alicia Garcia-Herrero (Contact Author)

Bruegel ( email )

Rue de la Charité 33
B-1210 Brussels Belgium, 1210
Belgium

Hong Kong University of Science & Technology (HKUST) - HKUST Institute for Emerging Market Studies (IEMS) ( email )

IAS 2019, Lo Ka Chung Building,
Lee Shau Kee Campus, HKUST
Clear Water Bay, Kowloon
Hong Kong

Natixis ( email )

France

Alan K. F. Siu

The University of Hong Kong - School of Economics and Finance ( email )

8th Floor Kennedy Town Centre
23 Belcher's Street
Kennedy Town
Hong Kong
+852 2859 2192 (Phone)
+852 2548 1152 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.econ.hku.hk/~asiu

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