Xin Meng
Professor
Research School of Economics
ANU College of Business and Economics
The Australian National University

孟昕
教授
经济研究院
商业-经济学院
澳大利亚国立大学

Research

My research to date consists of following main themes:

  1. Important issues related to the Chinese labour market during the transition process, including the impact of economic transition on income distribution, the impact of labour market rigidity on economic development in China, and rural-urban migration.
  2. Wellbeing of the Chinese households during the economic transition, topics including poverty, nutrition intake, consumption, health, education.
  3. Ageing and pension reform in China.
  4. The influence of institutions and culture on gender discrimination in China, Taiwan, Australia, and France.
  5. Economic assimilation of immigrants.
  6. Economic implications of major catastrophes, such as the impact of the Chinese famine and the Cultural Revolution on life time earnings and welfare of individuals and families.
  • Meng, X. and Manning, C. (with Li, S., and Effendi, T.) 2010 The Great Migration: Rural-Urban Migration in China and Indonesia Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.
  • Meng, X. 2000 Labour Market Reform in China Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Meng, X. and Bai, N. 1989 Structural Change: Transfer of Chinese Rural Surplus Labour (in Chinese) Hangzhou: Zhejiang People's Publishing House, total pages: 361.
  • Meng, X. and Gregory, R.G 2018 Rural-to-urban migration and migrants' labour market performance, 2008-16 China's 40 Years of Reform and Development: 1978-2018 the ANU Press, the Australian National University, Canberra, pp. 395-427
  • Meng, X., Xue, S., and Xue, J. 2016 Consumption and savings of migrant households: 2008-2014 China's New Sources of Economic Growth the ANU Press, the Australian National University, Canberra, pp. 159-195
  • Meng, X. 2015 Harnessing China's Untapped Labor Supply Paulson Policy Memorandum, February 2015, Paulson Institute, University of Chicago.
  • Frijters, P., Gregory, R., and Meng, X. 2015 The role of rural migrants in the Chinese urban economy Migration: Economic Change, Social Change Oxford University Press
  • Meng, X. 2014 China's labour market tensions and future urbanisation challenges Ross Garnaut, Cai Fang, and Ligang Song Deepening Reform for China's Long-Term Growth and Development the Australian National University E-Press: Canberra, pp. 379-406
  • Meng, X. 2014 Rural-urban migration in China Shenggen Fan, Ravi Kanbur, Xiaobo Zhang, Shang-Jin Wei Oxford Companion to the Economics of China Oxford University Press
  • Meng, X. 2013 Rural-urban migration Ross Garnaut, Cai Fang, and Ligang Song China: A New Model for Growth and Development the Australian National University E-Press: Canberra, pp. 179-198
  • Frijters, P, Meng, X & Resosudarmo, B. 2011 The effects of institutions on migrant wages in China and Indonesia Jane Golley and Ligang Song Rising China: Global Challenges and Opportunities ANU ePress, Canberra, pp. 245-284
  • Kong, S. T., Meng, X., and Zhang, D. 2010 The global financial crisis and rural-urban migration Ligang Song and Wing Thye Woo China's New Place in a World in Crisis: Economic, Geopolitical and Environmental Dimensions Asia Pacific Press
  • Meng, X. and Manning, C. 2010 The great migration in china and indonesia—trend and institutions X. Meng and C. Manning, with S. Li, and T.Effendi The Great Migration: Rural-Urban Migration in China and Indonesia Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.
  • Lee, L., and Meng, X. 2010 Why don't more chinese migrate from the countryside? Institutional Constraints and the Migration Decision X. Meng and C. Manning, with S. Li, and T.Effendi The Great Migration: Rural-Urban Migration in China and Indonesia Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.
  • Frijters, P., Lee, L., and Meng, X. 2010 Jobs, working hours, and remuneration packages for migrants and urban residents X. Meng, C. Manning, with S. Li, and T.Effendi The Great Migration: Rural-Urban Migration in China and Indonesia Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.
  • Kong, T.S. and Meng, X. 2010 The educational and health outcomes of the children of migrants X. Meng, C. Manning, S. Li, and T.Effendi The Great Migration: Rural-Urban Migration in China and Indonesia Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.
  • Kong, S. T., Meng, X., and Zhang, D. 2009 The impact of economic slowdown on migrant workers Ligang Song and Wing Thye Woo China's New Place in a World in Crisis: Economic, Geopolitical and Environmental Dimensions Asia Pacific Press
  • Golley, J., Meagher, D., and Meng, X. 2008 Chinese urban household energy requirements and CO2 emissions Ligang Song and Wing Thye Woo China's Dilemma Asia Pacific Press
  • Gong, X., Kong, S. T., Li, S., and Meng, X. 2008 Rural-urban migrants: a driving force for growth Ligang Song and Wing Thye Woo China's Dilemma Asia Pacific Press
  • Meng, X., Gregory, R.G., and Wan, G. 2008 China Urban Poverty and its Contributing Factors, 1986-2000 Understanding Inequality and Poverty in China, Methods and Applications Palgrave Macmillian
  • Meng, X. and Luo, C. 2008 What determines living arrangements of the elderly in urban China Bjorn Gustafsson, Shi Li, and Terry Sicular Inequality and Public Policy Cambridge University Press
  • Meng, X. and Bai, N. 2007 How much have wages of unskilled workers in China increased? Data from seven factories in Guangdong Ross Gaunaut and Ligang Song Linking Markets for Growth Asia Pacific Press
  • Du, Y., Gregory, R.G., and Meng, X. 2006 Impact of the guest worker system on poverty and wellbeing of migrant workers in urban China Ross Gaunaut and Ligang Song The Turning Point in China's Economic Development Asia Pacific Press
  • Meng, X. 2005 Impact of SOE restructuring on labour market outcomes and employees' welfare R. Garnaut and L. Song The China Boom and its Discontents Asian Pacific Press
  • Meng, X., Gregory, R., and Wang Y. 2004 Poverty and inequality in urban China in the 1990s R. Garnaut and L. Song China: Is Rapid Growth Sustainable? Asian Pacific Press
  • Meng, X. 2003 Political capital and wealth accumulation Ross Garnaut and Ligang Song China: New Engine of World Growth Asian Pacific Press
  • Meng, X. 2003 Liberalisation, unemployment, income inequality and poverty in urban China Trade Policy, Growth and Poverty in Asian Developing Countries Routledge
  • Meng, X. 2003 Labour market reform and private sector development Ross Garnaut and Ligang Song China's Third Economic Transformation: The Rise of the Private Economy Routledge
  • Meng, X. 2002 Radical economic reform and income distribution Ross Garnaut and Ligan Song China 2002—WTO Entry and World Recession Asia Pacific Press
  • Gregory, R. G. and Meng, X. 2001 An Exploration of Changing Immigrant Employment and Education Responses in a Depressed Labour Market J. Borland, R. Gregory and P. Sheehan Work Rich, Work Poor, Inequality and Economic Change in Australia Victoria University
  • Meng, X. 2000 Regional wage gap, information flow, and rural-urban migration Yaohui Zhao and Loraine West Rural Labor Flows in China University of California Press
  • Meng, X. and Duncan, R. 2000 Corporate employment and public policy Dwor-Frecaut, Colaco, and Hallward-Driemeier Asian Corporate Recovery The World Bank
  • Meng, X. 1999 Labour market reform Ross Garnaut and Ligang Song China: Twenty Years of Reform Asia Pacific Press
  • Meng, X. 1997 China's labour market reform
  • Meng, X. 1994 Wage determination in China's industrial sector China into the 1990s National Centre for Development Studies, ANU, pp.60-67
  • Meng, X. 1990 The Rural Labour Market William A. Byrd and Lin Qingsong China's Rural Industry Oxford University Press 299-322
  • Dustmann, Christian, Fasani, Francesco, Meng, Xin and Minale, Luigi 2023 Risk attitude and household migration decision Journal of Human Resources 58(1), pp. 112-145
  • Chae, Minhee, Tim Hatton, and Meng, Xin 2023 Explaining trends in adult height in China: 1950-1990 World Development 161(1)
  • Cameron, Lisa, Meng, Xin and Zhang, Dandan 2022 Does being 'left—behind' in childhood lead to criminality in adulthood? Evidence from data on rural-urban migrants and prison inmates in China Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization 202, pp. 675-693
  • Booth, Alison and Meng, Xin with Elliot Fan and Dandan Zhang 2022 The direct and intergenerational behavioral consequences of a socio-political upheaval Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization 200, pp.931-958
  • Booth, Alison, Freeman, Richard, Meng, Xin and Zhang, James Jilu 2022 Trade unions and the welfare of rural-urban migrant workers in China Industrial and Labor Relations Review 75(4), pp.974-1000
  • Meng, Xin and Zhao, Guochang 2021 The long shadow of a large scale education interruption: The intergenerational effect Labour Economics 71
  • Giles, John, Meng, Xin, Sen, Xue, and Zhao, Guochang 2021 Can information influence the social insurance participation decision of China's rural migrants? Journal of Development Economics 150(C)
  • Meng, Xin and Xue, Sen 2019 Social networks and mental health outcomes: Chinese rural-urban migrant experience Journal of Population Economics 33(2), pp. 155-195
  • Iyer, Lakshmi, Meng, Xin, Qian, Nancy, and Zhao, Xiaoxue 2019 Economic transition and private-sector labor: Evidence from Urban China Journal of Comparative Economics 47(3), pp.579-600
  • Booth, A., Fan, E., Meng, X. and Zhang, D. 2019 Gender differences in willingness to compete: The role of culture and institutions Economic Journal 129(618), pp.734-764
  • Cameron, L., Meng, X. and Zhang, D. 2019 China's sex ratio and crime: Behavioural change or financial necessity? Economic Journal 129(618), pp.790-820
  • Meng, X. and Yamauchi, C. 2017 Children of migrants: The cumulative impact of parental migration on their children's education and health outcomes Demography 54(5), pp. 1677-1714, doi: 10.1007/s13524-017-0613-z
  • Fan, E., Meng, X., Wei, Z., and Zhao, G. 2017 Rates of return to four-year university education: An application of regression discontinuity design The Scandinavian Journal of Economics doi:10.1111/sjoe.12251
  • Meng, X. 2017 The Labor Contract Law, macro conditions, self-selection, and labor market outcomes for migrants in China Asian Economic Policy Review 12(1)
  • Meng, X., Qian, N., and Yared, P. 2015 The Institutional Causes of China's Great Famine, 1959-1961 Review of Economic Studies 82, pp.1568-1611. doi: 10.1093/restud/rdv016
  • Cameron, L and Meng, X. 2014 China's one child policy The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics The Palgrave Macmillan Press
  • Cameron, L., Erkal, N., Gangadharan, L, and Meng, X. 2013 Little Emperors: Behavioral impacts of China's One-Child Policy Science 22 Feb. 2013, 339, 953-957
  • Cameron, L., Erkal, N., Gangadharan, L, and Meng, X. 2013 Little Emperors pose behaviour challenges Science (Commentary) 19 April, 2013, 340, 273-273
  • Meng, X., Shen, K.L., and Xue, S. 2013 Economic reform, education expansion, and earnings inequality for urban males in China, 1988-2009 Journal of Comparative Economics 41(1), pp.227-244
  • Meng, X. 2012 Labor market outcomes and reforms in China Journal of Economic Perspectives 26(4), pp.75-102
  • Gorgens, T., Meng, X., and Vaithianathan, R. 2012 Selection and stunting effects of famine: Case study of the Great Chinese Famine Journal of Development Economics 97, pp. 99-111
  • Frijters, P., Liu, A., and Meng, X. 2012 Are optimistic expectations keeping the Chinese happy? Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization 81, pp.159-171
  • Gong, H.C., Leigh, A., and Meng, X. 2012 Intergenerational income mobility in urban China Review of Income and Wealth 58(3), pp. 481-503
  • Golley, J. and Meng, X. 2012 Income inequality and carbon dioxide emissions: The case of Chinese urban households Energy Economics 34, pp.1864-1872
  • Golley, J. and Meng, X. 2011 Has China run out of surplus labour? China Economic Review 22, pp. 555-572
  • Meng, X. and Ryan, J. 2010 Does food for education program affect school outcomes? The Bangladesh case Journal of Population Economics 23(2), pp.415-447
  • Meng, X., Gong, X.D., and Wang, Y.J. 2009 Impact of Income Growth and Economic Reform on nutrition intake in urban China: 1986-2000 Economic Development and Cultural Change 57(2), pp.261-295
  • Meng, X., and Meurs, D. 2009 Intermarriage, language, and economic assimilation process: A case study of France International Journal of Manpower 30(1/2), pp.127-144
  • Meng, X. 2007 Wealth accumulation and distribution in urban China Economic Development and Cultural Change 55(4), pp.761-791
  • Meng, X., Gregory, R. and Wan, G. 2007 China urban poverty and its contributing factors, 1986-2000 Review of Income and Wealth 53(1), pp.167-189
  • Cai, F., Giles, J., and Meng, X. 2006 How well do children insure parents against low retirement income? Evidence from urban China Journal of Public Economics 90, 2229-2255
  • Daly, A., Meng, X., Kawaguchi, A., 2006 The gender wage gap in four countries Economic Record 82(257), ppp.165-176
  • Meng, X. and Gregory, R. G. 2005 Intermarriage and the economic assimilation of immigrants Journal of Labor Economics 23(1), pp.135-176
  • Meng, X., Gregory, R.G. and Wang, Y. 2005 Poverty, inequality, and growth in urban China, 1986-2000 Journal of Comparative Economics 33(4), pp 710-729
  • Meng, X. 2005 Poverty and labor market in China Journal of Comparative Economics 33(4), pp 641-643
  • Meng, X. 2004 Gender earnings gap: The role of firm-specific effect Labour Economics 11(5), pp. 555-573
  • Meng, X. and Meurs, D. 2004 The gender earnings gap: Effects of institutions and firms —a comparative study of French and Australian private firms Oxford Economic Papers 56(2), pp. 189-208
  • Meng, X. 2004 Economic restructuring and income inequality in urban China Review of Income and Wealth 50(3), pp.357-379
  • Meng, X. 2003 Unemployment, consumption smoothing, and precautionary saving in urban China Journal of Comparative Economics 31(3), pp.465-485
  • Meng, X. and Gregory, R. G. 2002 The impact of interrupted education on subsequent educational attainment: A cost of the Chinese Cultural Revolution Economic Development and Cultural Change 50(4), pp.935-959
  • Hamermesh, D., Meng, X., and Zhang, J. 2002 Dress for success—does primping pay? Labour Economics 9(3), pp.361-375
  • Meng, X. and Meurs, D. 2001 Gender wage differential in France Economie et Prevision (French Journal) 148(2), pp. 113-121
  • Meng, X. 2001 The informal sector and rural-urban migration-A Chinese case study Asian Economic Journal 15(1), pp.71-89
  • Meng, X. and Zhang, J. 2001 Two-tier labour markets in urban China: Occupational segregation and wage differentials between urban residents and rural migrants in Shanghai Journal of Comparative Economics 29, pp.485-504
  • Kidd, M. and Meng, X. 2001 The Chinese state enterprise sector: Labour market reform and the impact on wage structure Asian Economic Journal 15(4)
  • Liu, P., Meng, X. and Zhang, J. 2000 Sectoral gender wage differentials and discrimination in the transitional Chinese economy Journal of Population Economics 13(2), pp.331-352
  • Meng, X. 1998 Male-female wage determination and gender wage discrimination in China's rural industrial sector Labour Economics 5(1), pp.67-89
  • Meng, X. 1998 Gender occupational segregation and its impact on gender wage differential among rural-to-urban migrants in China Applied Economics 30(1), pp.741-752
  • Meng, X. and Wu, H. X. 1998 Household Income Determination and Regional Income Differential in Rural China Asian Economic Journal 12(1), pp.65-88. (B)
  • Meng, X. and Perkins, F. 1998 Behavioral Differences among Chinese Firms—From the Perspective of Earnings Determination Asian Economic Journal 12(3), pp.295-316
  • Meng, X. and Kidd, M. 1997 Wage Determination in China's State Sector in the 1980s Journal of Comparative Economics 25(3), pp.403-421
  • Kidd, M. and Meng, X. 1997 Wage trends and correction for sample selection: A comparison of Blau and Beller and Heckman procedures. Australian Economic Papers Vol. 36, No. 68, pp. 85-89
  • Wu, H. X. and Meng, X. 1997 The direct impact of the reallocation of farm labour grain production in China China Economic Review 7(2), pp.105-122
  • Wu, H. X. and Meng, X. 1997 Do Chinese farmers reinvest in grain production? China Economic Review 7(2), pp.123-135
  • Kidd, M., and Meng, X. 1997 Trends in the Australian gender wage differential over the 1980's: Some evidence on the effectiveness of legislative reform Australian Economic Review 30(1), pp.31-44
  • Huang, Y. and Meng, X. 1997 China's industrial growth and efficiency: A comparison between the state and the TVE sectors Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy 2(1), pp.101-121
  • Meng, X. 1996 An examination of wage determination in China's rural industrial sector Applied Economics 28(1), pp.715-724
  • Meng, X. 1996 The economic position of women in Asia Asian-Pacific Economic Literature 10(1), pp.23-41
  • Meng, X. 1995 The role of education in wage determination in China's rural industrial sector Education Economics 3(3), pp.235-247
  • Gregory, R. G. and Meng, X. 1995 Wage determination and occupational attainment in the rural industrial sector of China Journal of Comparative Economics 21(3), pp.353-374
  • Meng, X. and Miller, P. 1995 Occupational segregation and its impact on gender wage discrimination in China's rural industrial sector Oxford Economic Papers 47(1), pp.136-155

RUMiC Project

The Rural-Urban Migration in China and Indonesia project was established to investigate the impacts of internal migration within China and Indonesia. In particular, the investigation is focused on the collection of data through five year longitudinal surveys in China and Indonesia and the use of these data to answer questions with relation to migration’s impact on income mobility, poverty alleviation, education, health and nutrition of migrant children, and the assimilation of migrant workers into the city.

Random Thoughts

Random thoughts are coming shortly.

Contact

Email: xin.meng@anu.edu.au
Phone number: +61 2 612 53102
Office: Room 2068, LF Crisp Bld (26)

Position: Professor
Research School of Economics
Australian National University

ANU Website: https://cbe.anu.edu.au/about/staff-directory/professor-xin-meng
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=4TPHcmUAAAAJ&hl=en