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Yifei ZHANG
Dr. Yifei ZHANG
Economics
Senior Lecturer
BEcon/BEcon & Fin Deputy Programme Director and Admissions Tutor

3910 3102

KK 1332

https://sites.google.com/view/zhangyifei

Academic & Professional Qualification
  • Ph.D. in Economics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
  • M.A. in Economics, The State University of New York at Albany
  • B.Sc. (Honors) in Applied Mathematics, Hong Kong Baptist University
Biography

Dr. Yifei Zhang is a senior lecturer at the HKU Business School. Prior to joining the University of Hong Kong, he taught at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College.

Dr. Zhang’s research interests include Chinese Economy, Development Economics, and Political Economy. Upon graduation, he did Ph.D. internship at the Hong Kong Institute for Monetary Research (HKIMR) and worked at the Chinese University of Hong Kong as a postdoctoral fellow. His works appear in peer-reviewed journals such as Journal of Comparative Economics, Economics Letters, Small Business Economics, China Economic Review, etc.

Dr. Zhang has experience teaching various economics courses, such as Chinese Economy, Econometrics, Game Theory, etc. He also has a passion for supervising and collaborating with his students. The co-authored works have been published in academic journals such as: Journal of Comparative Economics, Economics Letters, Small Business Economics, Applied Economics, International Review of Economics & Finance, and International Studies of Economics.

Research Interest
  • Chinese Economy
  • Development Economics
  • International Finance
  • Political Economy
Selected Publications

Selected Working Papers

  • Zhang, Q. & Zhang, Y. “Competitive Borrowings in Squeezing Marriages.”
  • Bu, J., Du, J., & Zhang, Y. “Host-State-Friendly BIT Reforms and Foreign Direct Investment.”

Journal Articles

  • Ashton, J., Wang, Y., & Zhang, Y. (2024). “Does Mutual Fund Ownership Increase Corporate Environmental Spending?” Journal of Business Research, 184, 114878.
  • Du, J., & Zhang, Y. (2024). ISDS Disputes, Adjudications and Cross-Border M&As. Journal of Corporate Finance, 87, 102594.
  • Wang, Y., Chen, X., Zhang, Y.(2024). “Do Alumni Relationships between Executive Directors and Auditors Matter for Financial Reporting Quality?” Accounting Forum, forthcoming.
  • Wang, Y., Zhang, Y., Chang X., Wei, K., (2024). “CEO Tenure and Environmental Fraud for Listed Family Firms.” Business Strategy and the Environment, 33(3), 1887-1905.
  • Du, J., & Zhang, Y. (2024). “The Impact of ISDS Arbitration Claims and Adjudication on Cross-Border Direct Investment.” Transnational Corporations Review, forthcoming.
  • Liu, Y., Zhang, Y., Yang, Y., & Chen, X. (2023). Dark Side of Environmental Regulation: Wage Inequality Cost. Journal of Comparative Economics, 51(2), 524-544.
  • Rouse, M., Ottemoesoe, S., Wang, Y., Zhang, Y. (2023). “Do Female Independent Directors Reduce Corporate Risk Taking During COVID-19?” Asia-Pacific Journal of Accounting & Economics, 1-20.
  • Liu, Y., Zhang, Y., Zhang, Y., & Xiao, H. (2022). Small business owners’ Fintech credit in crises: Theory and evidence from farmers under the COVID-19. Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, 71, 101692.
  • Liu, Y., Zhang, Y., Fang, H., & Chen, X. (2022). SMEs’ line of credit under the COVID-19: evidence from China. Small Business Economics, 58(2), 807-828.
  • Wang, Y., Zhang, Y., Kang, W., & Ahmed, A. H. (2022). Female analysts and COVID-19 corporate donation. Emerging Markets Review, 100941.
  • Zhang, Y., Liu, Y., Zhang, Y., & Chen, X. (2022). Globalization blueprint and households’ fintech debt: Evidence from China’s One Belt One Road initiative. International Review of Economics & Finance, 79, 38-55.
  • Chen, X., Fang, H., Liu, Y., & Zhang, Y. (2022). Does Chinese policy banks’ overseas lending favor Belt Road Initiative countries?. International Studies of Economics.
  • 张云, 刘芸, & 章逸飞. (2022). “房住不炒” 政策的股市溢出效應 ——包含房產要素的動態均衡模型與資產定價研究. 系統工程理論與實踐, 865-878.
  • Liu, Y., Zhang, Y., Chen, X., & Yang, Y. (2021). Superstition and farmers’ life insurance spending. Economics Letters, 206, 109975.
  • Xiao, H., Chen, X., Fang, H., & Zhang, Y. (2021). Insider share pledging and firm value consequences under the COVID-19: evidence from China. Applied Economics, 53(56), 6522-6534.
  • Chen, X., Xiao, H., & Zhang, Y. (2021). To what extent did independent directors help firms’ recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic? Evidence from China. Applied Economics, 53(38), 4464-4480.
  • Wang, Y., & Zhang, Y. (2020). Do state subsidies increase corporate environmental spending?. International Review of Financial Analysis, 72, 101592.
  • Du, J., & Zhang, Y. (2018). Does one belt one road initiative promote Chinese overseas direct investment?. China Economic Review, 47, 189-205. (Elsevier Awards for the Best Papers published in China Economic Review in 2018.)

Book Chapters

  • Wang, Y., Zhang, Y., & Chen, X. (2023). “Detecting financial statement fraud using the machine learning methods.” FinTech Research and Applications: Challenges and Opportunities. World Scientific.
  • Du, J., & Zhang, Y. (2022). “In Fear of Trojan Horse? China’s Cross-Border Acquisitions in Europe amid the One-Belt-One-Road Initiative.” China and the Belt and Road Initiative: Trade Relationships, Business Opportunities and Political Impacts. Springer: Understanding China Series.
  • Du, J., Fang, H., & Zhang, Y. (2021). “One Belt One Road Initiative and China’s Overseas Lending.” Belt and Road Initiative (BRI): China’s Global Business Footprint. Centre for Business & Economic Research.
  • Du, J., & Zhang, Y. (2019). “One Belt One Road Initiative and China’s Overseas Direct Investment.” In Yuan Li, Markus Taube (Ed.), How China’s Silk Road Initiative is Changing the Global Economic Landscape (pp. 130-165). Routledge.
Recent Publications
More
23Oct
Dr. Yifei ZHANG
Challenges to ESG Investment: Who’s Pushing Back and Why?

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing is rapidly gaining traction in global financial markets, aiming to integrate environmental protection and social responsibility into investment decisions to promote sustainable development. Despite its wide support, ESG investing faces criticism, particularly in the United States, where some state governments and the energy sector express concerns about its potential negative impact on the economy and business competitiveness.

23 Oct 2024
Faculty
23Oct
Dr. Yifei ZHANG
Challenges to ESG Investment: Who’s Pushing Back and Why?

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing is rapidly gaining traction in global financial markets, aiming to integrate environmental protection and social responsibility into investment decisions to promote sustainable development. Despite its wide support, ESG investing faces criticism, particularly in the United States, where some state governments and the energy sector express concerns about its potential negative impact on the economy and business competitiveness.

23 Oct 2024
Faculty
1Aug
Dr. Yifei ZHANG
International Implementation and Prospect of Sustainable Public Procurement

Traditional public procurement policies mainly consider cost, quality, and user needs. In order to effectively support sustainable development and promote environmental protection in the public sector, the concept of "sustainable public procurement" has gradually become mainstream internationally. This concept emphasizes a balance of environmental, social, and economic benefits, and aims to promote sustainable development through government procurement activities.

1 Aug 2024
Faculty
1Aug
Dr. Yifei ZHANG
International Implementation and Prospect of Sustainable Public Procurement

Traditional public procurement policies mainly consider cost, quality, and user needs. In order to effectively support sustainable development and promote environmental protection in the public sector, the concept of "sustainable public procurement" has gradually become mainstream internationally. This concept emphasizes a balance of environmental, social, and economic benefits, and aims to promote sustainable development through government procurement activities.

1 Aug 2024
Faculty
12Jun
Dr. Yifei ZHANG
Biodiversity Risk Management: Global Strategies and Policy Implementation

What are the links between biodiversity and capital market investments? Over half of the global economy depends on nature. Protecting biodiversity can create new investment opportunities.

12 Jun 2024
Faculty
12Jun
Dr. Yifei ZHANG
Biodiversity Risk Management: Global Strategies and Policy Implementation

What are the links between biodiversity and capital market investments? Over half of the global economy depends on nature. Protecting biodiversity can create new investment opportunities.

12 Jun 2024
Faculty
22May
Dr. Yifei ZHANG
Corporate Greenwashing and Regulatory Response

Are “green products” necessarily environmentally friendly? Not really. Since going green is beneficial to the brand and its profit, some companies will exaggerate the environmental protection effects of their products or services by providing false information to mislead the public. This is known as "greenwashing".

22 May 2024
Faculty
22May
Dr. Yifei ZHANG
Corporate Greenwashing and Regulatory Response

Are “green products” necessarily environmentally friendly? Not really. Since going green is beneficial to the brand and its profit, some companies will exaggerate the environmental protection effects of their products or services by providing false information to mislead the public. This is known as "greenwashing".

22 May 2024
Faculty
20Mar
Dr. Yifei ZHANG
The Development of Climate-related Risk Disclosure Reaches a New Milestone

Intensifying extreme weather driven by global warming has severe socioeconomic impacts. In March 2024, the U.S. implemented nationwide climate disclosure rules for listed firms and in 2023 Hong Kong also strengthened oversight for transparency. While disclosures offer companies long-term benefits like reputational gains and risk mitigation, they incur costs and data leak risks. As regulations evolve, investors should integrate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors, cost-control strategies for sustainable returns.

20 Mar 2024
Faculty
20Mar
Dr. Yifei ZHANG
The Development of Climate-related Risk Disclosure Reaches a New Milestone

Intensifying extreme weather driven by global warming has severe socioeconomic impacts. In March 2024, the U.S. implemented nationwide climate disclosure rules for listed firms and in 2023 Hong Kong also strengthened oversight for transparency. While disclosures offer companies long-term benefits like reputational gains and risk mitigation, they incur costs and data leak risks.

20 Mar 2024
Faculty