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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Frontiers in Public Health

Does population aging promote embeddedness in the regional medical device trade network? Evidence from RCEP member countries

  • Xinyi Li1
  • Leran Ge2
  • Wen Liu1
  1. 1School of Business, Shandong University
  2. 2School of Economics, Shandong University
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Abstract

Introduction: Enhancing member countries' embeddedness in the RCEP medical device trade network is an important issue for addressing population-aging challenges across the region and promoting coordinated development and cooperation in the healthcare industry.

Method: Using data on 15 RCEP member countries from 2004 to 2023, this study constructs a regional medical device trade network and a network embeddedness index to examine how population aging affects member countries' embeddedness.

Results: The results indicate that the RCEP medical device trade network exhibits high density, strong connectivity, and low centralization, with trade linkages among members continuing to deepen. Population aging significantly increases members' embeddedness in the network. Mechanism analyses reveal that population aging promotes embeddedness primarily by enhancing the specialization of export products and consolidating import sources. Heterogeneity analyses show that this positive effect is more pronounced among non-ASEAN members, developing countries, and economies at advanced stages of population aging.

Discussion: These findings provide important policy insights for RCEP member countries seeking to respond to population aging, strengthen public health security capacity, and advance trade cooperation in the health and medical device sectors.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{li2026does,
  title = {{Does population aging promote embeddedness in the regional medical device trade network? Evidence from RCEP member countries}},
  author = {Xinyi Li and Leran Ge and Wen Liu},
  journal = {Frontiers in Public Health},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.3389/fpubh.2026.1969842},
  url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1969842/full},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Does population aging promote embeddedness in the regional medical device trade network? Evidence from RCEP member countries
AU  - Xinyi Li
AU  - Leran Ge
AU  - Wen Liu
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/27
JO  - Frontiers in Public Health
DO  - 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1969842
UR  - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1969842/full
AB  - Introduction: Enhancing member countries' embeddedness in the RCEP medical device trade network is an important issue for addressing population-aging challenges across the region and promoting coordinated development and cooperation in the healthcare industry.  Method: Using data on 15 RCEP member countries from 2004 to 2023, this study constructs a regional medical device trade network and a network embeddedness index to examine how population aging affects member countries' embeddedness.  Results: The results indicate that the RCEP medical device trade network exhibits high density, strong connectivity, and low centralization, with trade linkages among members continuing to deepen. Population aging significantly increases members' embeddedness in the network. Mechanism analyses reveal that population aging promotes embeddedness primarily by enhancing the specialization of export products and consolidating import sources. Heterogeneity analyses show that this positive effect is more pronounced among non-ASEAN members, developing countries, and economies at advanced stages of population aging.  Discussion: These findings provide important policy insights for RCEP member countries seeking to respond to population aging, strengthen public health security capacity, and advance trade cooperation in the health and medical device sectors.
SN  - 2296-2565
ER  -