an analysis for india and china - icrier

The commodities that rank among the top 100 according to RCA values while
being dispersed across sectors are mainly drawn from organic and inorganic chemicals,
cotton, nuclear reactors and articles of apparel knit/crocheted and not knit/crocheted.
Table 5.7: China: Sector- wise distribution of commodities with RCAI rank ≤ 100
Rank HS code Sector Number of commodities
1 61 Articles of apparel, accessories, knit or crochet 11
2 29 Organic chemicals 6
3 28 Inorganic chemicals, precious metal compound, isotopes 5
4 52 Cotton 5
5 84 Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery, etc 5
Again, there are some sectors where China is comparatively disadvantageously
positioned but simultaneously reveals significant comparative advantage at the
constituent commodity (HS-six digit) level. China is comparatively disadvantageously
placed in 50 sectors out of the total 97 sectors. Of these 50 sectors, China is
comparatively advantageously placed in 42 sectors at the commodity level. There are 13
commodities that rank among the highest top 100 for the RCAI and belong to sectors
where China does not enjoy comparative advantage in the world market. Of course, the
number of commodities with a relative advantage in these sectors is fewer than the
number of commodities where India has a relative disadvantage
Table 5.8 : China: Sectors with a disadvantage at the aggregate level* and
advantage at the disaggregated level # : 2003
Rank HS Code Sector Number of commodities
1 29 Organic chemicals 6
2 09 Coffee, tea, mate and spices 2
3 15 Oil seed, oleagic fruits, grain, seed, fruit, etc, nes 1
4 22 Animal,vegetable fats and oils, cleavage products, etc 1
5 39 Plastics and articles thereof 1
6 72 Iron and steel 1
7 87 Vehicles other than railway, tramway 1
*: HS-2 (RCAI1 and rank in top 100
13