Heiwai TANG
Prof. Heiwai TANG
經濟學
Associate Dean (External Relations)
Victor and William Fung Professor in Economics (馮國經馮國綸基金教授 (經濟學))
Director, Asia Global Institute
Director, APEC Study Center
Associate Director, Hong Kong Institute of Economics and Business Strategy

3917 0029
3917 4388

MB 335/ KK 920

Academic & Professional Qualification
  • PhD: MIT
  • Bachelor: UCLA
Biography

Heiwai Tang is Victor and William Fung Professor in Economics, Director of the Asia Global Institute and HKU APEC Study Center, as well as the Associate Director Institute of China Economy and the Hong Kong Institute of Economics and Business Strategy at the University of Hong Kong (HKU). Prior to joining HKU, he was tenured Associate Professor of International Economics at the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) of Johns Hopkins University. He is also affiliated with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas (U.S.), the Center of Economic Studies and Ifo Institute (CESIfo, Germany), the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (Germany) and the Globalization and Economic Policy Center (U.K.) as a research fellow. He has been a consultant to the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation, the United Nations, and the Asian Development Bank; and held visiting positions at the IMF, Stanford, MIT, Harvard. He is currently an associate editor of the Journal of International Economics, the Journal of Comparative Economics and the China Economic Review. Since 2021, he has served on a number of public bodies, including the Currency Board Sub-Committee of the HKMA’s Exchange Fund Advisory Committee and the Minimum Wage Commission in Hong Kong.

Heiwai holds a Ph.D. in economics from MIT and a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from UCLA. His research interests span a wide range of theoretical and empirical topics in international trade, with a specific focus on production networks, global value chains, and China. His research has been published in leading journals in economics, including American Economic Review and Journal of International Economics. His research and opinions have been covered by BBC, Financial Times, New York Times, Al Jazeera, Foreign Policy, South China Morning Post, and various think tanks such as the Brookings Institution and the Peterson Institute for International Economics.

Teaching

Columbia-LBS-HKU EMBA: The New World Order

HKU-PKU DBA: Frontiers in Economics Research

Fudan-HKU IMBA: The New World Order

HKU: Undergraduate Common Core – China in the Global Economy; MBA – Global Economy; Master of Economics – Economic Policy

Research Interest

International Trade, Global Value Chains, Development Economics

Selected Publications
  • “Trade Networks and Firm Value: Evidence from the US-China Trade War,” Journal of International Economics, forthcoming. (with Yi Huang, Chen Lin, and Sibo Liu)
  • “Currency Carry Trade by Trucks: The Curious Case of China’s Massive Imports from Itself”, Review of Finance, 27(2), March 2023, pp. 469–493. (with Xuepeng Liu, Zhi Wang, and Shang-Jin Wei)
  • “Do Multinationals Transfer Culture? Evidence on Female Employment in China”, Journal of International Economics, 133, Nov 2021, 103518. (with Yifan Zhang)
  • “Domestic Segment of Global Value Chains in China under State Capitalism”, Journal of Comparative Economics, 48(4), Dec 2020, pp. 797-821. (with Fei Wang and Zhi Wang)
  • “Why is China Investing in Africa? Evidence from the Firm Level”, World Bank Economic Review, 32(3), Oct 2018, pp. 610-632. (with Wenjie Chen and David Dollar)
  • “Are Foreign Firms Favored in China? Firm-level Evidence on the Collection of Value-Added Tax”, Journal of International Business Policy, 1(2), Inaugural Issue, Jun 2018, pp. 71-91. (with Yasheng Huang)
  • “Domestic Value Added in Exports: Theory and Firm Evidence from China”, American Economic Review, 106(6), Jun 2016, pp. 1402-1436. (with Hiau Looi Kee)
  • “Learning to Export from Neighbors”, Journal of International Economics, 94(1), Sep 2014, pp. 67-84. (with Ana Fernandes)
  • “Factor Intensity, Product Switching, and Productivity: Evidence from Chinese Exporters”, Journal of International Economics, 92(2), Mar 2014, pp. 349-362. (with Yue Ma and Yifan Zhang)
  • “International Politics and Import Diversification”, Journal of Law and Economics, 56(4), Nov 2013, pp. 1091-1121. (with Sergey Mityakov and Kevin Tsui)
  • “Determinants of Vertical Integration in Export Processing: Theory and Evidence from China”, Journal of Development Economics, 99(2), Nov 2012, pp. 396-414. (with Ana Fernandes)
  • “Labor Market Institutions, Firm-specific Skills, and Trade Patterns”, Journal of International Economics, 87(2), Jul 2012, pp. 337-351.
Awards and Honours
  • APEC Study Center Financial Support from the HKSAR Government, PI, HKD 2,500,000, 2022-2027
  • HKU Knowledge Exchange Grant, PI, HKD 497,000, 2023
  • Hong Kong RGC Grant, Co-PI, HKD 418,975, 2022-2024
  • Committee of 100 Next Generation Leader, 2018
  • Richard Paul Richman Center for Business, Law, and Public Policy Grant, Columbia University, Co-PI, USD 14,500.
  • Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada Insight Grant, Co-Investigator, CAD 78,736
  • Student-Elected Best Professor of the Master of International Econ and Finance Program, JHU SAIS, 2016-2017
  • Alcoa Foundation Grant, Co-PI, USD 500,000, 2016-2019
  • Hong Kong RGC Grant, Co-PI, HKD 364,378, 2017-2019
  • Outstanding Referee Journal of International Economics, 2014-2017.
  • Hong Kong RGC Grant, Co-PI, HKD 336,462, 2011-2013
  • The Nuffield Foundation Social Science Grant, SGS/36581, Co-PI, £12,000, 2009-2011
  • MIT Presidential Fellowship, 2002-2003
Service to the University/Community
  • Securities and Futures Appeals Tribunal of the HKSAR government, member, 2023 –
  • Panel of Arbitrators of the Labour Relations Ordinance, HKSAR, member, 2023 –
  • Insurance Authority in Hong Kong SAR, Member of the Industry Advisory Committee, 2022 –
  • Telecommunications Appeal Board of the HKSAR Government, Member, 2022 –
  • Currency Board Sub-Committee of the HKMA Exchange Fund Advisory Committee, Member, 2021-
  • Minimum Wage Commission in Hong Kong SAR, Member, 2021 –
  • Pacific Economic Review, Managing Editor, 2022 –
  • Journal of International Economics, Associate Editor, 2019 – 2022
  • China Economic Review, Associate Editor, 2018 –
  • Journal of Comparative Economics, Associate Editor, 2017 – 2023
  • China Economics Summer Institute, Academic Committee Member, 2017 –
  • International Finance Corporation (IFC), Consultant, 2017 –
  • United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Consultant, 2016 – 2017
  • Asian Development Bank, Consultant, 2016 – 2017
  • IMF, Research Department, Visiting Scholar, 2015 – 2016
  • World Bank, Consultant, 2013 – 2017
Recent Publications
【時事全方位】香港經濟預測

港大經管學院早前公佈2024年第三季本港經濟的預測,對於略顯低迷的消費氣氛,港大經管學院副院長及亞洲環球研究所總監鄧希煒教授,於接受Now新聞的訪問時指出,投資和消費信心是關鍵。「受財富效應影響,由於短期内股市和樓市狀況形成負面的財富效應,市民投資和消費的信心自然不高,長遠而言要視乎政府三年內的經濟轉型政策,提供新的經濟增長點。」

人口老化致儲蓄率高, 中國經濟仍有增長潛力

過去45年,中國經濟年均增長率超過8%,擁有龐大的國內市場,但其消費僅佔GDP的39%,為全球最低之一。中國能否維持6%或7%的增長率呢? 港大經管學院副院長及亞洲環球研究所總監鄧希煒教授認為,中國仍然有經濟增長潛力,但由於人口老齡化及民眾追求長壽導致高儲蓄率,因此目前已變得非常困難。鄧教授建議三項關鍵措施以重整中國經濟:改善公共醫療質素及減低醫療開支、促進更多以內需主導的增長,以及為低收入群創造更多就業機會,以解決城鄉收入差距問題。

外籍香港永久居民可申回鄉證

內地出入境管理局公布,由7月10日起,港澳外籍居民可獲簽發「港澳居民來往內地通行證(非中國籍)」,港大經管學院副院長(對外事務)鄧希煒說,其在港外籍同伴每次到內地工作或演講,過關手續需時,例如在深圳灣或皇崗口岸,他自己只需一分鐘就可入境,外籍同伴卻需花約半小時。新措施只適用於香港永久居民,即需住滿7年,對於門檻會否太高,鄧希煒指今次屬第一步,期待日後會有更多放寬政策。

香港下一站──跨國供應鏈管理中心

香港特區政府致力建構跨國供應鏈管理中心,作為內地企業與國際市場的「超級聯繫人」,相信這既是不少人心目中理所當然的目標,而香港亦較其他亞洲港口城市在以下三方面更具有優勢與底氣:

港競爭力重上第五 星稱冠續拋離 經濟營商基建改善 政府效率稍降

瑞士洛桑國際管理發展學院(IMD)發布《2024年世界競爭力年報》,香港排名回升至第5位,比去年升2位,當中本港經濟表現、營商效率、基礎建設均有所改善,政府效率則稍降。至於去年排第三位的新加坡則登上榜首,疫情以來已漸拋離香港,距離更逐年拉闊。有學者認為,香港各行各業在疫情時發展停頓,影響競爭力,未來需增加年輕就業人口及發展具競爭力產業。

鄧希煒:港具優勢拓新興產業

世界各地優秀華裔科學家,尤其是來自美國頂尖大學的教授選擇回流香港及內地工作,為兩地在科學研究、技術創新等多個領域發展注入強勁動力。昨日在「機遇香港」主題採訪活動中,香港大學的兩位教授,包括經濟及工商管理學院副院長(對外事務)鄧希煒,以及政治及公共行政學系教授李成,先後從美國轉至香港工作,鄧希煒聚焦於香港經濟結構的轉型研究,李成則在促進學者交流和高端智庫建設上擔任了開創者的角色。二人的到來,不僅是個人職業的重新選擇,更是在面對國際環境變化時展現出的適應力、創造力和對中國的深厚情懷,也反映出香港對全球頂級專家的吸引力。

軟硬兼施經濟動起來

港大經管學院副院長及亞洲環球研究所總監鄧希煒教授早前接受訪問時指出,香港長遠可緊盯三個「路向」,包括推動高附加值工業發展,發揮好連結內地與全球的橋樑作用,以及優化人才培育與引進政策。

【時事全方位】首季本地生產總值

政府公布香港2024首季實質本地生產總值按年增長為2.7%,低於去年同期的4.3%,反映經濟增速放緩。港大經管學院副院長及亞洲環球研究所總監鄧希煒教授,於接受Now新聞的訪問時分析,去年本港首季經濟表現強勁,主要受惠於疫後的報復性消費。

建供應鏈管理中心,助港經濟轉型開新局面

地緣政治加劇,不少內地企業將部份生產線遷往其他國家,分散投資。港大經管學院副院長及亞洲環球研究所總監鄧希煒教授早前接受訪問時提到,這些內地企業海外經驗較少,建議香港抓緊機遇,提供海外營商所需的支援,如物流、進出口等服務,致力發展成為跨國供應鏈管理中心,重塑本港總部經濟的角色。