Transportation infrastructure and capital mobility: evidence from China’s high-speed railways

Abstract

Abstract Using the data on venture capital investment in China and high-speed railway (HSR) construction as a natural experiment, this study presents empirical evidence about the impact of transportation infrastructure on capital mobility. The study finds that one new HSR train serving a city increases venture capital inflow to and outflow from that city by 1.0% and 1.6%, respectively. The heterogeneous analyses indicate that small cities, high-tech industries, and younger firms are significantly affected by HSR connections, which show that the accelerated information transmission and investors’ incremental growth expectations may account for the observed effect.