An econometric analysis of private sector participation in China's urban water supply

作者：Wang Hongwei^*; Wu Wenqing; Zheng Shilin

来源：Utilities Policy, 2011, 19(3): 134-141.

DOI：10.1016/j.jup.2011.01.004

• Urban water supply
• Private sector participation
• Performance evaluation
• China

This paper explores the impact of private sector participation on industrial performance of urban water supply by using panel data for 35 major cities in China over the period 1998 to 2008. We find that the introduction of private sector participation is significantly correlated with improvement in integrated production capacity and water coverage rate, but not correlated with the investment in fixed assets. Private sector participation has a positive impact on the integrated production capacity in the developed eastern cities and contributes to narrowing the gap of water coverage rate between the less developed central and western cities and the more developed eastern cities. We also find that the participation of foreign companies, but not domestic private companies, significantly improves water industry performance. The research sheds some light on the importance of private participation in urban water markets. However, the performance of domestic private firms in urban water supply still needs be improved.

• 出版日期2011-9
• 单位北京大学; 中国社会科学院数量经济与技术经济研究所