• I am a Senior Lecturer (equivalent to Associate Professor in North America) at the Business School of the University of Western Australia. I received my PhD degrees from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in 2015 and Peking University in 2005. 

• Personal Homepage: https://sites.google.com/site/xgchenist/

• Primary Fields: Public Economics; Misallocation; Development and Growth
• Secondary Fields: Innovation; Natural Resources and Environment; Inequality; Economy of China

• Publications: https://research-repository.uwa.edu.au/en/persons/shawn-chen/publications/

English Articles

1. (2023) "Un-incorporation and Conditional Misallocation: Firm-Level Evidence from Sri Lanka", (with Ranpati Dewage Thilini Sumudu Kumari, and Sam Hak Kan Tang), B. E. Journal of Macroeconomics. https://doi.org/10.1515/bejm-2022-0107
2. (2023) "Can Land Misallocation be a Greater Barrier to Development than Capital? -- Evidence from Manufacturing Firms in Sri Lanka?", (with Ranpati Dewage Thilini Sumudu Kumari, and Sam Hak Kan Tang, Bei Li), Economic Modelling. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econmod.2023.106368 
3. (2022) "Vulnerability to Tax Enforcement and Spillovers of Corruption: Cross-industry Evidence from China", (Solo), Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization. https://doi.org/10.1093/jleo/ewac019
4. (2021) "What Impairs the `Money Machine' of VAT in Developing Countries?" (with Harsha Konara Mudiyanselage), International Tax and Public Finance, Nov, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10797-021-09705-x
5. (2021) “Misallocation and TFP Slowdown over Two Decades: A Firm-Level Analysis in Sri Lanka’s Manufacturing” (with Ranpati Dewage Thilini Sumudu Kumari, Sam Hak Kan Tang, Bei Li), Applied Economics, Vol. 53(38), pp. 4417-4435. https://doi.org/10.1080/00036846.2021.1904111
6. (2020) "Dynamics of Local Cadre Appointment in China" (with Yong Liu, and Xianxiang Xu), China Economic Review, Vol. 64(12). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chieco.2020.101559
7. (2020) "Tax Effort in Developing Countries: Where is Sri Lanka?" (with Harsha Konara Mudiyanselage, and Anu Rammohan), Journal of Tax Administration, Vol. 6 (1), pp. 162-189. http://jota.website/index.php/JoTA/article/view/265/194
8. (2017) “The Effect of a Fiscal Squeeze on Tax Enforcement: Evidence from a Natural Experiment in China” (Solo), Journal of Public Economics, Vol. 147 (3), pp. 62-76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpubeco.2017.01.001
9. (2017) “VAT Rate Dispersion and TFP Loss in China's Manufacturing Sector” (Solo), Economic Letters, Vol. 155, June, pp. 49-54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econlet.2017.03.008

Chinese Articles

1. (2023) “VAT Rate Reduction, Credit Constraint, and Firm TFP -- Theory and Evidence from Listed Companies”, (with Shumin Yue, and Chunmin Xiao), Economic Theory and Business Management (Ji Ji Li Lun Yu Jin Ji Guan Li in Chinese 《经济与管理科学》), 2023, Vol. 43(6), pp. 13-26.
2. (2018) “How does Fiscal Pressure Affect the Public Service Provision by County Governments?” (with Jingwen Yu, and Liutang Gong), Journal of Financial Research (Jin Rong Yan Jiu in Chinese《金融研究》), 2018, Issue 1, pp. 18-35.
3. (2016) “Fiscal Pressure, Tax Enforcement, and Regional Inequality,” (Solo), Social Science in China (Zhong Guo She Hui Ke Xue in Chinese《中国社会科学》), 2016, Issue 4, pp. 53-70. (Top 1 among all Chinese journals on social sciences, (CNKI) Impact Factor: 4.07)
4. (2015) “History of British Tax Reform and Implications to China,” (with Wenchun Zhang), International Tax in China (Guo Ji Shui Shou in Chinese《国际税收》), 2015, Issue 9, pp. 62-66.
5. (2013) “The Assessment of Production Efficiency Loss Caused by VAT in China,” (Solo), Social Science in China (Zhong Guo She Hui Ke Xue in Chinese《中国社会科学》), 2013, Issue 8, pp. 67-84. （Top 1 among all Chinese journals on social sciences, (CNKI) Impact Factor: 4.07）(Collected in Impact and Perspective of VAT Reform in China, 2016, Publishing House of Renmin University of China, Beijing, China.)
6. (2010) “Credit Constraint, Government Consumption, and Real Business Cycle in China,” (with Yulin Zhang), Economic Research Journal (Jin Ji Yan Jiu in Chinese《经济研究》), 2010, Issue 12, pp. 48-56. (Top 1 among all Chinese journals in economics, (CNKI) Impact Factor: 6.294)
7. (2006) “Human Capital, Innovation, and Economic Growth,” (Solo), Economic Research Journal (Jin Ji Yan Jiu in Chinese《经济研究》), 2006, Issue 10, pp. 18-29. (Top 1 among all Chinese journal in economics, (CNKI) Impact Factor: 6.294) (Collected in Investing in Health and Education for Economic Development in China, the World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd, April, 2010)
8. (2005) “Downward Compatibility of Human Capital and its Implication for the Cross-Country Income Level Accounting,” (Solo), Economic Research Journal (Jin Ji Yan Jiu in Chinese《经济研究》), 2005, Issue 4, pp. 46-56. (Top 1 among all Chinese journal in economics, (CNKI) Impact Factor: 6.294)
9. (2005) “Structural Change and Economic Growth.” (with Liutang Gong) Economics Quarterly Journal (Jin Ji Xue Ji Kan in Chinese《经济学（季刊）》), 2005, Issue 3, pp. 583-604. (Top 2-5 among all Chinese journal in economics, (CNKI) Impact Factor: 3.478)
10. (2005) “A Survey on Cross-country Income Difference Studies,” (Solo), Economic Perspectives (Jin Ji Xue Dong Tai in Chinese《经济学动态》), 2005, Issue 5, pp. 95-98.

• “Give the Panda a Big Push from the Ground: Land Subsidy and Structural Transformation of China” (with Yudan Chen, Wenjia Tian, and Liutang Gong)
• “Environmental Regulation, Local Vulnerability and Enforcement” (with Zhao Li and Binyang Lv)
• “Can Tax Credit Undo Capital Misallocation – Evidence VAT Transformation Reform in China” (with Yanchao Xu)
• “Differential Tax Rates and Rise of Auditing Service – Evidence from R&D Super-deduction Policy in China” (with Xiaoyong Dai)
• “Incentive and Equalisation in Flattened Governments – Evidence from PMC Reform in China” (with Pie Li and Saijie Sun)
• “Taxational Resource Curse – Evidence from China” (with Jie Bai)
• “Firm Clustering and Taxation – Evidence from China” (with Qi dong and Xiaobo Zhang)
• “Land Mis-allocation, Collateral Effects, and Production Efficiency Loss in China” (with Enhui Kou and Longjian Yang)
• “Burden of Knowledge and limits on Growth” (solo)

• "Misallocation and Aggregate Productivity Gain from Tax Enforcement – Evidence from a Fiscal Squeeze Experiment in China", (with Yanchao Xu)
• "Oilfield Discovery, Debt Default Risk and Tax Policy", (with Yu-Hsiang Lei)
• "Cleaner Book after a Closer Look? – Evidence from China on the Effect of Tax Enforcement on Listed Companies' Profits Reporting"
• "Can Central SOE Affect the Local Tax Enforcement in China?"

(Totalling AU$920,332 for seventeen projects since 2010; AU$382,000 for six ongoing projects)

1. (2024-2025) Australia-China Joint Action Program – 2024 (GR000081), 7,000 AUD + 35,000 CNY, Chief investigator (with Hongfu Ni)
2. (2023-2024) Business School Research Grant Awards (BSRGA) 2024, 5,000 AUD, Chief investigator (with Elisa Birth)
3. (2023-2026) Key Project of Social Science Funds of China (No. 23&ZD063), ~160,000 AUD (800,000 CNY), Principal investigator (with Min Wang)
4. (2023-2026) National Science Funds (NSF) of China (No. 72263034), ~56,000 AUD (280,000 CNY), Principal investigator (with Yanchao Xu)
5. (2022-2023) Business School Research Grant Awards (BSRGA) 2023, 5,000 AUD, Chief investigator (with Tushar Bharati)
6. (2022-2025) Key Project of Social Science Funds of China (No. 22AZD017), ~70,000 AUD (350,000 CNY), Principal investigator (with Shumin Yue)
7. (2022-2025) National Science Funds (NSF) of China (No. 72173115), ~84,000 AUD (420,000 CNY), Principal investigator (with Pei Li)
8. (2021-2022) UWA Business School Futures Fund Research Grants, 5,000 AUD, Chief Investigator
9. (2020-2023) National Science Funds (NSF) of China (No. 71973158), ~98,000 AUD (490,000 CNY), Principal investigator (with Li Zhang)
10. (2020-2023) National Science Funds (NSF) of China (No. 71973017), ~96,000 AUD (480,000 CNY), Principal investigator (with Jingwen Yu)
11. (2018-2021) National Science Funds (NSF) of China (No. 71773125), ~96,000 AUD (480,000 CNY), Principal investigator (with Guangrong Ma)
12. (2018) UWA Business School Visiting Early Career Researcher Scheme with Dr. Yu-Hsiang Lei, 4,472 AUD, Liaison person
13. (2015-2016) UWA Business School Research Development Awards, 9,860 AUD, Chief investigator
14. (2015-2016) Business School Start-up Grant, 10,000 AUD, Receipt
15. (2014-2017) National Science Funds (NSF) of China (No. 71373026), ~116,000 AUD (580,000 CNY), Principal investigator (with Heng Yin)
16. (2012-2015) National Science Funds (NSF) of China (No. 71173019), ~88,000 AUD (440,000 CNY), Principal investigator (with Heng Yin)
17. (2010-2011) International Development Research Council (IDRC), ~10,000 AUD (10,000 CAD), Chief investigator

Research Awards

• (2023) Early-Career and Mid-Career Researcher Award, Western Australia Chinese Scientists Association
• (2017) Outstanding Early-Career Researcher Award, Western Australia Chinese Scientists Association
• (2017) UNU-WIDER travel fund, United Nations University
• (2015) Michio Morishima Fund, STICERD, LSE
• (2015) Best Paper Award, Annual Public Finance Forum in China 
• (2014) Coase Institute Fellowship, Coase Institute
• (2005) Gregory Chow Best Paper Award, Chinese Economists Society
• (2005) Best Dissertation Award of Peking University, Peking University
• (2005) Best Dissertation Award of China, China International Capital Corporation

• Public Economics (ECON4405/ECON5519)
• Intermediate Mathematics (ECON3272)
• Business Econometrics (ECON2271)
• Economic Research and Evaluation Methods (ECON5514)
• Applied Macroeconomics (ECON3303)

Supervision (Totalling 21 students)

• PhD (5 ongoing, 6 gradutated)
  • Siyu Ai (Feb, 2024 – Feb, 2027; co-supervision with Dr. Simon Change)
  • Xian Chen (Sep, 2023 – Sep, 2026; co-supervision with Prof. Alison Preston)
  • Henderi (Nov, 2023 – Nov, 2026; co-supervision with Dr. Ishita Chatterjee)
  • Muhammad Khoerul Mubin (2022-2025, With Dr. Leandro Magnusson)
  • Sineth Kannangara Koralalage (2021-2024, With Prof. Yanrui Wu)
  • Devika Bhatia (2020-2023, With Dr. Ishita Chatterjee and Prof. Rick Krever)
  • Thilini Ranpati Dewage (2019-2021, with Dr. Sam Tam and Dr. Bei Li)
  • Harsha Konara Mudiyanselage (2017-2021, with Prof. Anu Rammohan)
  • Hoi Chu (2017-2021, with Prof. Peter Robertson)
  • Emiliano Carlevaro (2018-2021, with Dr. Leandro Magnusson and Dr. Simon Chang)
  • Serene Runping Zhu (2019-2020, with Prof. Rick Krever)
• Master (1 ongoing, 1 gradutated)
  • Paul Azzalini (Sep, 2023 – Feb, 2025; co-supervision with Dr. Elisa Birth)
  • Harsha Konara Mudiyanselage (2016-2017, with Prof. Anu Rammohan)
• Honours (1 ongoing, 7 gradutated)
  • Bailey Knell (2024, with Prof. Ken Clements)
  • Navjeev Pandher (2023)
  • Dan O'Leary (2022)
  • William Horton (2021)
  • Cathal Leslie (2017)
  • Xing Wang (2017)
  • Grace Taylor (2015-2016, with Prof. Ken Clements);
  • Alexandra Colalillo (2016, with Prof. Peter Hartley)

Journal Review (Totalling 73 papers)

• (2024) Journal of Development Economics (×2); Economica; China Economic Review;
• (2023) European Journal of Political Economy, Australian Economics Paper, Fiscal Studies, Public Choice, Public Finance Review, Economic Modelling (×3), Asian-Pacific Economic Literature; Journal of Economic Behaviour and Organization; International Tax and Public Finance (×2); Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance; Public Choice; Economics Letters;
• (2022) Journal of European Economic Association, Journal of Law and Economics, International Tax and Public Finance (×2), Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, China Economic Review, Journal of Regional Science, Economic Inquire, Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies, Economic Modelling, Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization;
• (2021) Economic Journal, Review of Finance, Journal of Corporate Finance, International Tax and Public Finance (×2), Journal of Development Economics, Contemporary Economic Policy, China Journal, Australian Tax Forum, Journal of Banking and Finance, Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, China Economic Quarterly International, Regional Science and Urban Economics;
• (2020) American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, Economic Inquiry, Economica (×2), Review of Accounting Studies, Local Government Studies, Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Regional Studies, Economic Record;
• (2019) Journal of Development Economics, Journal of Public Economics, Economic Inquiry;
• (2018) Journal of Law and Economics, China Economic Review (×2), Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Economic Research Journal (×3), Social Science in China; 
• (2017) China Economic Review, International Tax and Public Finance, Economic Research Journal, Chinese Social Science, Scandinavian Journal of Economics;
• (2016) International Tax and Public Finance, Journal of Industrial Relations, Economic Research Journal, Chinese Social Science;
• (2015) Economic Research Journal (×2);
• (2014) Social Science in China (×3), Economic Research Journal (×2);
• (2013) Social Science in China (×2), Economic Research Journal (×2).

• Lecturer, Renming University of China, 2005-2011

• English
  Chinese (Mandarin)