Mask Wars: Sourcing a Critical Medical Product from China in Times of COVID-19
Andreas Fuchs, Lennart Kaplan, Krisztina Kis-Katos, Sebastian Leue, Felix Turbanisch, and Feicheng Wang
Published in Journal of International Economics 155: 104068, May 2025
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically heightened global demand for critical medical goods, with China being a key supplier. This paper examines the political factors that eased global access to face masks, a vital product during the initial phase of the pandemic. Employing a triple difference-in-differences event study framework, we compare the export dynamics of face masks with those of similar products. Our findings indicate that face mask prices surged after the outbreak of the pandemic, and China’s exports increased in response. Amid global shortages, political alignment at the national and subnational levels, particularly through political ties with Chinese provinces, played a significant role in driving the increase in China’s face mask exports to partner countries. These political connections contributed to export growth at both the extensive and intensive margins. Moreover, sister city relationships appear to have assisted in mitigating the early price increases.
Published paper
Replication data
Working Paper (November 2024)
Working Paper (October 2022)
Working paper (June 2021)
COVID Economics paper (August 2020)
Working paper (July 2020)
Presentations at conferences and workshops
In the media (newspapers, blogs)
See also
Andreas Fuchs, Lennart Kaplan, Krisztina Kis-Katos, Sebastian Leue, Felix Turbanisch, and Feicheng Wang
Published in Journal of International Economics 155: 104068, May 2025
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically heightened global demand for critical medical goods, with China being a key supplier. This paper examines the political factors that eased global access to face masks, a vital product during the initial phase of the pandemic. Employing a triple difference-in-differences event study framework, we compare the export dynamics of face masks with those of similar products. Our findings indicate that face mask prices surged after the outbreak of the pandemic, and China’s exports increased in response. Amid global shortages, political alignment at the national and subnational levels, particularly through political ties with Chinese provinces, played a significant role in driving the increase in China’s face mask exports to partner countries. These political connections contributed to export growth at both the extensive and intensive margins. Moreover, sister city relationships appear to have assisted in mitigating the early price increases.
Published paper
Replication data
Working Paper (November 2024)
Working Paper (October 2022)
Working paper (June 2021)
COVID Economics paper (August 2020)
Working paper (July 2020)
- Download via cege
- Download via IDEAS
- Download via IfW
- Download via SSRN
- Download via University of Göttingen
Presentations at conferences and workshops
- Annual Conference of the European Trade Study Group, University of Groningen, Netherlands (09/2022)
- Tuesday Seminar at the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Germany (08/2022)
- International Trade and Agricultural Cooperation Seminar, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China (07/2022)
- Economics Department Seminar, Technical University Darmstadt, Germany (06/2022)
- Annual Meeting of the European Public Choice Society, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal (04/2022)
- Workshop "Internationale Wirtschaftsbeziehungen", University of Göttingen, Germany (03/2022)
- Tuesday Talks of the Economic Statecraft Program, Texas A&M University, College Station, United States (10/2021)
- Webinar on Structural Constraints on the Economy, Growth and Political Economy, Economic Research Southern Africa (08/2021)
- International Conference on Globalization and Development, University of Göttingen, Germany (07/2021)
- Annual Conference of the Chinese Economists Society, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China (06/2021)
- Development Economics Seminar, University of Göttingen, Germany (07/2020)
In the media (newspapers, blogs)
See also
- IfW Press Release (in English)
- IfW Pressemitteilung (in German)
- Kiel Policy Brief
- Voxeu.org
- Washington Post
