Abstract The literature on carbon leakage and embodied carbon in regional trade is extensive. However, many studies are primarily concerned with emissions embodied in demand-supply chains and ignore the issue of carbon transfer behind the value-added chains. We promote a model to calculate value-based emissions (VBEs) and carbon emissions embodied in the value-added chain using the multi-regional input–output model (MRIO). Taking China as an example, VBEs and carbon emissions embodied in value-added chains at the sub-national level based on MRIO tables for 1997 and 2007 in China were analyzed. Transferred carbon emissions embodied in regional value-added chains in China showed rapid growth between 1997 and 2007. However, the absolute values of inter-regional net transferred carbon emissions embodied in value added chains were small and showed a declining trend. Therefore, the regional inequality between economic growth and carbon emissions pollution reduced between 1997 and 2007, although the amount of emissions embodied in regional value-added chains increased as of the inter-regional economic link in China gained close proximity.