J. East China Norm. Univ. Philos. Soc. Sci ›› 2026, Vol. 58 ›› Issue (4): 123-145.doi: 10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5579.2026.04.012

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How can Trade Agreements Empower Chinese Firms to Enhance Industrial and Supply Chain Resilience?

Guobing Shen, Zijian Liu, Binchao Shen   

  • Accepted:2026-06-17 Online:2026-07-15 Published:2026-08-03

Abstract:

Rising global economic uncertainties make the improvement of industrial and supply chain resilience ever more imperative. This paper studies how trade agreements can empower Chinese firms to enhance industrial and supply chain resilience. The research results show that: (1) The expansion and quality upgrading and efficiency enhancement of trade agreements can improve firms’ upstream and downstream resilience. (2) Trade agreement expansion with OECD economies yields larger resilience gains, and quality upgrading and efficiency enhancement of trade agreements with Belt and Road partner economies delivers larger resilience gains. (3) Trade agreement expansion and quality upgrading and efficiency enhancement of trade agreements strengthen supply chain resilience through two mechanisms, i.e., stimulating firm innovation and amplifying upstream – downstream spillovers. (4) A stronger business environment reinforces the impact of quality upgrading and efficiency enhancement of trade agreements on both upstream and downstream resilience, while pilot free trade zones provide additional reinforcement for the impact of quality upgrading and efficiency enhancement of trade agreements on upstream resilience. Accordingly, relevant parties need to accelerate the upgrading of foreign trade agreements to better enhance the resilience of Chinese enterprises’ production and supply chains.

Key words: trade agreements, industrial and supply chain resilience, firm innovation, upstream and downstream spillover