International Journal of Humanities and Social Science

ISSN 2220-8488 (Print), 2221-0989 (Online)

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Original Research Article | Open Access | Peer Reviewed update icon Check for updates

Analysis of the Impact of China’s Opening to the Outside World on Wage Distortion: Cases of 28 Provincial Regions

Minyang Tao Email , Yinyan Cai , and Xun Chen
Abstract

This article uses panel data from 28 provincial-level regions from 1994 to 2017 and uses the C-D production function to calculate the degree of labor wage distortion in various provinces of China. It is found that the vast majority of provinces in China have serious downward labor wage distortion, and the actual wages of labor are underestimated, especially in the economically developed eastern region, followed by the central region, and the western region has the lowest degree of wage distortion; From the perspective of time span, China's labor wage distortion shows an overall trend of easing. Through empirical analysis and research, it has been found that in two aspects of China's opening up to the outside world, foreign direct investment has significantly exacerbated labor wage distortions, while foreign trade has significantly alleviated labor wage distortions. In addition, the degree of marketization, government intervention, and industrial restructuring have effectively alleviated labor wage distortions. Based on the above situation, this article proposes policy recommendations such as optimizing the international trade environment, improving the quality of foreign investment access, enhancing the quality of labor force, and deepening the degree of labor marketization reform.

Full Text: PDF   |   DOI: https://doi.org/10.30845/ijhss.v15p40
Article History:
11 September 2025 | Accepted: 25 September 2025 | Published: 27 September 2025
Reviewer(s): Mohamed Sayed Hassan, Professor, Egyptian Japanese University of Science and Technology, Egypt.
Email: [email protected] ,m_sayed_hassan2hotmail.com
Dr. KAMBALE MBAKUL'IRAH Benoit, Center for Research in Economics and Applied Management (GREGA), Faculty of Economics and Management, Free University of the Great Lakes Countries, 468-GOMA, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo. ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-8722-5635.
Email: [email protected]
Address for Correspondence: Minyang Tao, School of Economics and Management (School of Accounting), Yunnan Minzu University, China. (0086)18669200761).
Email: [email protected]
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