Bilateral trade between China and ASEAN countries before and during COVID-19 using a comparative analysis

Abstract

ASEAN organizations play a vital role in sustaining bilateral trade between China and ASEAN countries. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced disruptions to global bilateral trade. Therefore, research should investigate the impact of ASEAN organizations on the trade between China and ASEAN nations, particularly during the pandemic. This study aims to address the effectiveness of ASEAN organizations in managing bilateral trade during the pandemic and gauging their influence. The study's sample includes nine ASEAN countries, and the data span from 2016 to 2021. The analysis uses the difference-in-differences model, with the parallel trend test verifying the differences between investigated variables. The results demonstrate that the influence of the ASEAN organization is significant on trade activities between China and the ASEAN member countries, positively impacting bilateral trade during the COVID-19 period. These findings not only contribute to our understanding of bilateral trade during a special period but also offer insights for enhancing the efficacy of the ASEAN organization and governments to promote bilateral trade.