The impact of the 2009 value added tax reform on enterprise investment and employment : Empirical analysis based on Chinese tax survey data

This paper uses the "National Tax Survey" enterprise data to assess the impact of China's nationwide VAT reform of 2009 on enterprise fixed-asset investment and employment. The main finding of our research is that the reform significantly increased business investment in fixed assets, but had no obvious effect on employment. Furthermore, the reform promoted corporate investment mainly by encouraging machinery and equipment, but not plant and building investment.