The Influence of GVC Participation and Division of Labor Status on the Comparative Advantage of China’s Wood-Based Panel Industry

Abstract

This article innovatively proposes a new display comparative advantage index (NB*). Based on the characteristics of existing comparative advantage indices and practical research needs, the NB* index can more accurately measure whether a country’s products have comparative advantages among other countries within the selected region, which to some extent expands the research boundary of industrial international competitiveness evaluation indicators. Meanwhile, this article takes China’s wood-based panel industry as an example to calculate the comparative advantage level of China’s wood-based panel industry among Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) member countries and further explores the impact of global value chain participation and division of labor status on the international competitiveness of the industry. Research has found that, firstly, although China’s wood-based panel industry has a relatively lower level of comparative advantage among RCEP member countries, it still has a certain level of competitiveness in some developed and developing countries’ markets; Secondly, in terms of the wood-based panel industry, a higher level of global value chain participation can effectively improve the international comparative advantage level of the domestic wood-based panel industry. Thirdly, the level of division of labor in the industrial chain has a significant positive impact on the comparative advantage level of China’s wood-based panel industry in RCEP member countries. Therefore, in order to enhance the international competitiveness of the domestic wood-based panel industry, it is necessary to actively participate in the global value chain and continuously move towards a higher level of division of labor in the industry chain.