Exploring the Impact and Mechanism of Country Distance on China’s Feed Grain Import Resilience

Abstract

Frequent major emergencies threaten the security of the feed grain import supply chain. Enhancing import resilience is essential for supporting a new development pattern. However, research on a dedicated system to evaluate the resilience of China’s feed grain imports remains limited. In addition, strategies to strengthen resilience based on country-specific distances are still underexplored. This study constructs a comprehensive indicator system for China’s feed grain import resilience, using data from 2000 to 2023. It empirically examines the impact of country distance on this resilience across four dimensions: geographic distance, economic distance, institutional distance, and cultural distance. The findings indicate that country distance has an inhibitory effect on China’s feed grain import resilience. This conclusion holds true even after testing various adjustments, such as changes to core explanatory and dependent variables, modifications in sample sizes, alterations in measurement methods, and the introduction of instrumental variables. Further analysis reveals that country distance undermines feed grain import resilience by significantly reducing trade efficiency. However, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Regional Trade Agreements (RTA) help mitigate the negative impact of country distance on resilience. To strengthen China’s feed grain import resilience, it is crucial to enhance cultural and institutional trust, improve trade efficiency, and optimize import distribution. This study provides empirical evidence to support the safety of China’s feed grain imports and promote efficient, mutually beneficial trade in feed grains with partner countries.