The strengthening of environmental technical standards in the United States: impact on the environmental performance of Chinese export enterprises

This research explores the relationship between the United States' strengthening its environmental technical standards and the environmental performance of Chinese companies exporting to the US. Constructing a difference-in-difference model revealed that US environmental technical standards significantly reduce the environmental performance of Chinese companies. The phenomenon of the 'pollution haven hypothesis' showed potential direct pollution transference from the US to China by importing highly polluting products, and the reduction in environmental performance is due to increased emissions rather than output reduction. This article sheds new light on the issue of pollution and serves as a reference for sustainable trade between China and the US.