How Do Exports and Imports Affect the Use of Free Trade Agreements? Firm level Survey Evidence from Southeast Asia
Based on profit estimations, findings from a firm level survey of 630 manufacturing firms across Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries conducted in 2013 showed that a 1 percent increase in the share of exports in total sales will increase the probability of use of free trade agreements (FTAs) by 0.2 percent, whereas a 1 percent increase in the share of imports in total inputs will reduce the probability of use of FTAs by 0.4 percent. Results from locally weighted scatterplot smoothing (LOESS) show that the use of FTAs is tilde shaped and negative shaped as a function of exports and imports, respectively.