The augmentation of firm performance via customer concentration is particularly indispensable for organizational evolution. Both trade credit financing and financing constraints play pivotal roles in the nexus between customer concentration and performance. This research constructs a moderated mediation model to rigorously investigate the impact of customer concentration on firm performance, positing trade credit financing as the mediating variable and financing constraints as the moderating variable. The relevant hypotheses are evaluated empirically using panel data compiled from listed manufacturing firms in China over the period 2013–2020, yielding 8 firm-year observations. The empirical outcomes denote that customer concentration exerts a positive influence on firm performance, albeit having a negative impact on trade credit financing. Trade credit financing serves as a partial mediator in the relationship between customer concentration and manufacturing firm performance. Financing constraints are found to positively moderate the mediating role of trade credit financing in the relationship between customer concentration and firm performance. This research broadens the understanding of the implications of customer relationships on trade credit financing and performance, thereby enriching the knowledge base for managing a firm’s financing channels more effectively.

India’s economic growth is of significant interest due to its expanding Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and global market influence. This study investigates the interplay between production, trade, carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, and economic growth in India using Granger causality analysis. Also, the data from 1994 to 2023 were analyzed to explore the relationships among these variables. The results reveal strong positive correlations among production, trade, CO₂ emissions, and GDP, with production showing significant associations with export, import, and GDP. Co-integration tests confirm the presence of a long-term relationship among the variables, suggesting their interconnectedness in shaping India’s economic landscape. Regression analysis indicates that production, export, import, United States (US)-India trade, manufacturing cost of energy, and CO₂ emissions significantly impact GDP. Moreover, the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) estimation reveals both short-term and long-term dynamics, highlighting the importance of understanding equilibrium and deviations in economic variables. Overall, this study contributes to a better understanding of the complex interactions driving India’s economic growth and sustainability.

Cross-border infrastructure projects offer significant economic and social benefits for the Asia-Pacific region. If the required investment of $8 trillion in pan-Asian connectivity was made in the region’s infrastructure during 2010–2020, the total net income gains for developing Asia could reach about $12.98 trillion (in 2008 US dollars) during 2010–2020 and beyond, of which more than $4.43 trillion would be gained during 2010–2020 and nearly $8.55 trillion after 2020. Indeed, infrastructure connectivity helps improve regional productivity and competitiveness by facilitating the movement of goods, services and human resources, producing economies of scale, promoting trade and foreign direct investments, creating new business opportunities, stimulating inclusive industrialization and narrowing development gaps between communities, countries or sub-regions. Unfortunately, due to limited financing, progress in the development of cross-border infrastructure in the region is low.

This paper examines the key challenges faced in financing cross-border projects and discusses the roles that different stakeholders—national governments, state-owned enterprises, private sector, regional entities, development financing institutions (DFIs), affected people and civil society organizations—can play in facilitating the development of cross-border infrastructure in the region. In particular, this paper highlights the major risks that deter private sector investments and FDIs and provides recommendations to address these risks.

Pakistan is grappling with significant economic and political challenges stemming from various factors. Positioned at the heart of the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative, Pakistan has been presented with a diverse array of opportunities encompassing trade, investment, energy resource development, Special Economic Zones (SEZs), the expansion of the Gwadar port, integration of its economy with neighboring nations via various connectivity projects, and the generation of employment prospects. Given the contemporary interdependence of economic performance and political stability, the potential for economic stability and the creation of opportunities through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is seen as crucial. The project helped Pakistan to attract a huge amount of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), created hundreds of thousands of jobs, significantly improved infrastructure, established nine SEZs, developed Gwadar port, increased its trade volume with China and controlled energy crisis to a significant level. Political development, stability and peace have also been positively influenced by economic development. This study aims to evaluate the impact of CPEC from both economic and political perspectives, especially as it approaches its 10th anniversary, and assess how it has shaped Pakistan’s economic and political landscapes. The forthcoming second phase of CPEC is poised to further bolster Pakistan’s economic growth, fortify industrialization through SEZs, and enhance its international trade. Additionally, the project is set to transform Pakistan into a pivotal regional trade corridor through its advanced connectivity initiatives and the development of the Gwadar port.

The increase in world carbon emissions is always in line with national economic growth programs, which create negative environmental externalities. To understand the effectiveness of related factors in mitigating CO₂ emissions, this study investigates the intricate relationship among macro-pillars such as economic growth, foreign investment, trade and finance, energy, and renewable energy with CO₂ emissions of the high gross domestic product economies in East Asia Pacific, such as China, Japan, Korea, Australia and Indonesia (EAP-5). Through the application of the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM), this research reveals the long-term equilibrium and short-term dynamics between CO₂ emissions and selected factors from 1991 to 2020. The long-term cointegration vector test results show that economic growth and foreign investment contribute to carbon reduction. Meanwhile, the short-term Granger causality test shows that economic growth has a two-way causality towards carbon emissions, while energy consumption and renewable energy consumption have a one-way causality towards carbon emissions. In contrast, the variables trade, foreign direct investment, and domestic credit to the private sector do not have two-way causality towards CO₂ emissions. The findings reveal that economic growth and foreign investment play significant roles in carbon reduction, which are observed in long-term causality relationships, while energy consumption and renewable energy are notable factors. Thus, the study offers implications for mitigating environmental concerns on national economic growth agendas by scrutinizing and examining the efficacy of related factors.

Thailand and the EU started negotiating a free trade agreement (FTA) in 2005, but negotiations were subsequently suspended in 2014 after the country’s military coup. The significance of these negotiations are important because of the mutual benefit of achieving higher levels of trade and investment between the world’s largest single market and the second largest ASEAN economy. The Specific Factors (SF) model of production and trade is applied to identify potential winner and loser industries and factors of production in Thailand. The model identifies short-run loses for some labor inputs, return to capital, and output in agriculture and services. In the manufacturing and energy sectors, higher output will benefit some labor inputs and capital owners. Understanding the short-run impact of an FTA could allow policymakers in Thailand to reinforce the institutional infrastructure such as implementing trade adjustment assistance programs (TAA), to help re-train workers who may become unemployed due to free trade.