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Abstract
A key objective of China's reform program was to reduce distortions in the
economic system and enhance growth. However, when implemented in incremental and
partial ways, local governments or individuals have chance to capture rents inherent in
the reform process. Young (2000) warned that the rent-seeking behavior might lead to
increasing market fragmentation. Empirical studies have since shown that this did not
happen in the product markets. In this paper we argue that as rents from the product
markets were squeezed out during the reform process, rent-seeking behavior shifted to
the factor markets, especially the capital and land markets. The reform process now
needs to be deepened to ensure that the factor markets also become more integrated and
efficient.