Empirical analysis of Chinese cultural products trade based on the gravity model

Pingping Qiao

Department of Economy and Management, Henan Polytechnic Institute, Nanyang, Henan Province, China, 47300, China

Based on date of bilateral cultural trades between China and 26 other countries (regions), the paper uses a gravity model to perform an empirical test on the influencing factors and export potential of cultural products. The research shows that Chinese economic size, importing country’s economic scale, GDP per capital, trade openness and preferential trade arrangements have a positive effect on the export of Chinese cultural products. Spatial distance and cultural distance from China have a negative effect on exports of Chinese cultural products. The effect of cultural distance is bigger than that of spatial distance. It is very important for promoting the exports of Chinese cultural products to strengthen communication and overcome “cultural discount”. In the 26 samples, the trades of cultural products between China and 7 countries (regions) are sufficient, and the trades of cultural products between China and other 19 countries (regions) are insufficient. China has a great potential for cultural products trades, but China should develop it targeted.