Accounting for Global Production of Exports: A Unified Approach

ABSTRACT The contributions of participants in the global production of exports are important concerns for trade analysts and policymakers. This paper aims to construct an analytical framework with a sound theoretical foundation for measuring global production of exports. In addition to harmonising export decompositions at all levels, the framework embraces a broad range of global‐value‐chain indicators (such as trade in value‐added measures and production position measures). World export decomposition analyses show that China's export production structure exhibits a lower degree of supply‐side diversification compared to its demand‐side distribution. The suppliers are geographically concentrated in East Asia, with a shift from Japan and Chinese Taipei to Korea. The purchasers are more geographically dispersed, with a shift from the United States and Korea to Mexico and Vietnam.