Wenqing WU (吴文青)

Using Chinese Custom data and listed firm data, we provide causal evidence that exporting to destinations with high gender equality improves firms' board gender diversity. Moreover, this improvement is not a token gesture. Female representation increases not only among independent directors but also in the corporate strategic committee. The likelihood of forming a critical mass of female directors also increases. To shed light on the mechanisms, we test for a cultural spillover channel and a conformance channel through which exporting can influence board gender diversity. Finally, we show that female representation in the strategic committee enhances firms' future export performance.

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.