Wenqing WU (吴文青)

Using data from Chinese customs and publicly listed firms, we present evidence that exporting to countries with higher levels of gender equality significantly enhances board gender diversity within these firms. Notably, this improvement is substantive; female representation increases among both independent directors and members of the corporate strategy committee. To shed light on the mechanisms, we investigate two channels: a cultural spillover effect and a conformance effect. Finally, we demonstrate that increased female representation in the strategy committee leads to improved future export performance for these firms.

Using China's WTO accession as a natural experiment, we show that input tariff liberalization generates higher income for Chinese manufacturing workers but widens gender income gap. The widened gender income gap is not due to longer working hours by men but an increase in gender wage inequality. We also find that input tariff reductions worsen manufacturing workers' health, and this adverse effect is more pronounced for women. The worsening of gender disparities, however, applies mainly to the unskilled. Finally, we also find that input tariff reductions incentivize women to obtain more education and result in a reduced gender education gap.

Under the background of serious environmental problems and environmental protection becoming an important issue, China has introduced the "most stringent environmental protection law" and implemented the Environmental Inspections to impose strict environmental regulations on enterprises. Compliance with environmental regulations will inevitably bring greater production costs to enterprises. Is it possible for enterprises to avoid regulatory costs through rent-seeking? What factors will affect rent-seeking behavior? The study will use China's New Environmental Protection Law and the Environmental Inspections as a clue to explore the impact of environmental regulations on corporates' rent-seeking behavior and the role that media plays.