In less than three decades, China has emerged as the world's largest exporting nation with more than $2 trillion of exports annually. China's rapid rise as a leading exporter in the world is unprecedented. Decoding China’s Export Miracle adopts the global value chain (GVC) approach to analyze the miracle. It focuses on tasks rather than gross export value, and emphasizes the organization of modern trade rather than national comparative advantage. 


The book identifies three spillover effects of GVCs that originated from brands, technology and product innovation, and distribution and retail networks of GVC leading firms. It argues that China's deep integration with GVCs has been a decisive factor behind the country’s emergence as the world's No.1 exporting nation and the champion of high-technology exports. 


In addition, this book uses iPhone trade and the operation of Apple, the largest American factory-less manufacturer, to show how current trade statistics exaggerate China's exports to and its trade surplus with the US on the one hand, and underestimate US exports on the other hand. By using the experience of the Chinese mobile phone industry, the book argues that the GVC strategy can be a short-cut for developing countries to achieve industrialization and enable firms in developing countries to enter high-technology sectors despite their intrinsic disadvantages. 


In this Book Break, Dr. Xing will discuss the role of GVCs in powering the Chinese miracle, and the future trajectory of China-centered GVCs, which have come under the shadow of the US-China trade war and the COVID-19 pandemic.


Dr. Xing is a professor of economics at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo. He served as the Director of the Capacity Building and Training Department of the Asian Development Bank Institute. He is the lead editor of Global Value Chain Development Report 2021: Beyond Production. His research on the iPhone and the China-US trade balance instigated a reform of trade statistics. Dr. Xing received his Ph.D in economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA. 


Doors open at 6:00 pm. Dinner is served from 6:15 pm. The presentation starts from 7:15 pm.

Menu: Salad/ Roasted Guinea Fowl with Morel Mushroom Sauce/ Chocolate Cake with Caramel Ice Cream/ Coffee or Tea with One Drink. Book Break charges are 3,000 yen/ 4,000 yen (members/ non-members) per person.

FCCJ members can sign up at the reception desk. Reservations cancelled less than 72 hours in advance will be charged in full.

Non-members can reserve at the reception desk by email (front@fccj.or.jp). Payment is in advance till Friday, January 14th, 2022. No refund is available unless the event is cancelled by FCCJ.

Online attendance (via Zoom) is available at 550 yen per person. Please indicate the intention to attend online when signing up. Details on how to join online will be sent to individual emails after their reservations are confirmed.

Attendees with food restriction should inform the reception desk (front@fccj.or.jp) three days before the event.

We kindly ask for your cooperation with Covid-19 prevention measures at the reception and to wear a mask in the premises. Thank you. 

(The talk will be in English)

Library, Archives & Workroom Committee