Assessing the interconnectedness and systemic risk contagion in the Chinese banking network

PurposeIn this paper, the authors use the balance sheet data to investigate the interconnectedness and risk contagion effects in China's banking sector. They firstly study the network structure and centrality of the interbank network. Then, they investigate how and to what extent the credit shock and liquidity shock can lead to the risk propagation in the banking network.Design/methodology/approachReferring to the theoretical framework by Haldane and May (2011), this paper uses the network topology theory to analyze the contagion mechanism of credit shock and liquidity shock. Centrality measures and log-log plot are used to evaluate the interconnectedness of China's banking network.FindingsThe network topology has shown clustering effects of large banks in China's financial network. If the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) is in distress, the credit shock has little impact on the Chinese banking sector. However, the liquidity shock has shown more substantial effects than that of the credit shock. The discount rate and the rollover ratio play significant roles in determining the contagion effects. If the credit shock and liquidity shock coincide, the contagion effects will be amplified.Research limitations/implicationsThe results of this paper reveal the network structure of China's interbank market and the resilience of banking system to the adverse shock. The findings are valuable for regulators to make policies and supervise the systemic important banks.Originality/valueThe balance sheet data of different types of banks are used to construct a bilateral exposure matrix. Based on the matrix, this paper investigates the knock-on effects of credit shock triggered by the debt default in the interbank market, the knock-on effects of liquidity effects, which is featured by “fire sale” of bank assets, and the contagion effects of combined shocks.

Risk, competition, efficiency and its interrelationships: evidence from the Chinese banking industry

PurposeThis study investigates the interrelationships between efficiency, competition and risk in the Chinese banking industry.Design/methodology/approachParametric stochastic frontier analysis is used to estimate bank efficiency; the Lerner index is used as the competition indicator; accounting ratios and a translog function are used to measure different types of risk and finally, the three-stage least square estimator is used to investigate the interrelationships.FindingsThe results of this study show that the impact of competition on different types of risk is significant and positive, while there is a significant and positive impact of credit risk, liquidity risk and capital risk on bank competition. In addition, the findings demonstrate that the interrelationships between efficiency and competition are significant and negative. The authors do not find any robust interrelationships between different types of risk and different types of efficiency; the authors find that diversification and higher levels of profitability reduce bank credit risk. The results suggest that a higher developed banking sector reduces the level of bank competition in China.Originality/valueThis is the first piece of research that comprehensively investigates the interrelationships between different types of risk, competition and different efficiencies in China.

Are Foreign Banks Disadvantaged Vis-À-Vis Domestic Banks in China?

Do foreign banks enjoy a competitive edge in the Chinese banking market or are they disadvantaged vis-à-vis domestic banks? This is the question that the present paper seeks to answer. The issue is important since on the one hand, these banks face the challenges the liability of foreignness brings, but at the same time, they have bank-specific advantages. We examine this issue in light of the literature of the liability of foreignness. In our path-breaking study, we found that due to the cost of foreignness, foreign banks’ performance was not as good as that of the local banks. Furthermore, despite the same amount of location- and bank-specific advantages, they performed badly as compared to their local counterparts. It was found that the cost of location-based disadvantages outweighed the cost of bank-specific disadvantages for foreign banks, and recent policy changes may help them overcome some of the cost of foreignness.

Wege aus der Covid-19-Krise: Chinesische Banken und die Hoffnung auf globales Wirtschaftswachstum

In crisis times a stable financial system is the basis to stimulate economic growth. In the bank-centered Chinese financial system mainly banks provide additional capital to the economy. According to the International Monetary Fund, the Chinese banking system represents one of the key weak spots of global financial stability. Do Chinese banks mitigate the negative consequences of the Covid-19 crisis or do they increase the risks? Based on the strengths and weaknesses of the Chinese banking system, I discuss the relevance of China for global economic growth. In summary, Chinese banks secure China’s short-term growth and lead the global economy back on the growth track. In the long run, the stability of the financial system depends on China’s ability to shape a sustainable financial system based on even more extensive reforms.

Non-Traditional Systemic Risk Contagion within the Chinese Banking Industry

Systemic risk contagion is a key issue in the banking sector in maintaining financial system stability. This study is among the first few to use three different distance-to-risk measures to empirically assess the domestic interbank linkages and systemic contagion risk of the Chinese banking industry, by using bivariate dynamic conditional correlation GARCH model on data collected from eight prominent Chinese banks for the period 2006–2018. The results show a relatively high correlation among almost all the banks, suggesting an interconnectedness among the banks. We found evidence that the banking system is exposed to significant domestic contagion risks arising from systemic defaults. Given that Chinese markets deliver weak signals of forthcoming stress in banking sectors, new policy intervention is crucial to resolve the hidden stress in the system. The results have important policy implications and will provide scholars and policymakers further insight into the risk contagion originating from interbank networks.

Efficiency in China’s Banking Sector: A Comparative Analysis of Pre- and Post-Basel II Eras

This study investigates the effects of Basel II and Basel III capital adequacy rules and the regulatory framework adopted by Chinese banking regulators on the efficiency of the banking sector in China during the post-Basel II era (2007–2017) and compares the results with that of the pre-Basel II era (1996–2006). The study finds that both cost and profit efficiency of the banking industry have improved significantly from the pre-Basel II era (1996–2006) to the post-Basel II era (2007–2017). Subperiod analyses show that the risk-based capital ratio (Tier 1 capital ratio) is significantly positively associated with profit efficiency during both pre- and post-Basel II eras. Overall, the “Big Four” national banks and regional commercial banks signal higher profit efficiency during the post-Basel II era.

Impact of internal and external CSR on organizational performance with moderating role of culture: empirical evidence from Chinese banking sector

PurposeThis study investigates the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on organizational performance, especially competitive performance (CP) along with moderating role of the organizational culture (OC) from the banking sector of China. Drawing on the stakeholder theory, the first goal is to examine the relationships between CSR and organizational CP. Second, the purpose is to evaluate the moderation of OC between the relationship of CSR and CP, respectively.Design/methodology/approachSEM using SmartPLS was majorly engaged to ascertain the relationship and to inquire the assumed hypotheses. The convenience sampling was engaged to collect the data from the Chinese banking market with the help of students, colleagues and personal visits.FindingsThe findings exhibited that CSR both external and internal CSR has significant correlations on organizational CP within banking sector of China. Second, the findings revealed a positive moderation influence of OC between the relationships of CSR and organizational CP. The comprehensive analysis of each factor of CSR on organizational CP was autonomously inspected to understand the insights which ensure that how the incorporation of CSR and OC activities may improve organizational CP.Research limitations/implicationsThis study faces numerous limitations related to sample and geographic locations that assure new work possibilities for researchers across the world.Practical implicationsThis study equips insightful information for management on how organizations can obtain CP by consolidating CSR and OC activities as their more productive strategic tools. This article endows with potential theoretical and managerial implications with empirical addition to concerned literature of OC, CSR and organizational CP.Social implicationsUnderstanding OC and CSR activities can provide interesting and helpful insights for the personnel to perform well within the banking institutes.Originality/valueThe topic of CSR and culture has been known as the evolving concept that is getting strong concern for the researchers. The additional work particularly empirical is yet required to explore the insights on CSR and OC themes worldwide, especially in developing nations.