At end August this year, China created free trade zones (FTZs) in seven provinces and municipalities with Henan province included. SSN recently learnt from insiders that the overall scheme for the third batch of FTZs will soon be nodded. The state will also hold opening ceremony for the seven newly-established FTZs together at proper timing.
Relevant experiments concerning the construction of FTZs in aforesaid 7 provinces and municipalities are in full swing. Experts suggest that two key words, namely, duplication and innovation, should be highlighted amid the construction of the third batch of FTZs.
The new FTZs are located in Liaoning, Zhejiang, Henan, Hubei, Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces as well as Chongqing municipality. The journalist learnt from interview that based on different strategies and positioning, the seven FTZs each shows its own special skills in development.
The FTZ construction in Central China's Henan province is quite eye-catching. In recent two months, Zhengzhou-Xuzhou high-speed railway opened in Zhengzhou city, the B area of export processing zone in Zhengzhou, Henan province passed state acceptance check, and China (Henan) Pilot Free Trade Zone Research Institute was officially launched.
According to state’s strategic positioning, Henan FTZ is tasked with achieving the central government’s goal in building a modern multimodal traffic system and modern logistics system that run south and north, and connect the east and west. Henan FTZ will focus on constructing a modern comprehensive traffic hub that serves the “Belt and Road” initiatives.
In the eyes of Geng Mingzhai, head of the school of economics at Henan University, hub and logistics are two key words in the positioning of Henan FTZ, and this is in line with Henan’s regional advantages and Henan’s strategy of building itself into a pacemaker for mainland opening.
Geng also told the journalist that Henan FTZ will focus on the following aspects. Firstly, building logistics channels. Henan FTZ will accelerate the construction of Zhengzhou-centered high-speed railway network, build multimodal transport, and connect sea, land and air transportation together. Secondly, fostering international logistics companies. Thirdly, facilitating the convenience and integration of customs clearance. Fourthly, Henan FTZ should play a more important role in cross-border e-commerce field.
Jiao Jinmiao, director of Henan Provincial Commerce Department, remarked that Henan FTZ will further explore measures to deepen reforms in circulation management methods, state-owned enterprises system, internationalization of industrial development and etc. As it is introduced, amid the process of revising its overall scheme for FTZ, Henan will actively align with national strategy, make sure that regional development closely follows national strategy, and undertake its mission of “testing systems for the state and pursuing development for regions”.
In Chongqing FTZ, achievement is made in cross-border e-commerce field. The B2B orders of Chongqing Liangjiang New Area Equipment Exporting Cross-Border E-Commerce Platform succeeded in being cleared by Chongqing Customs in early September. It suggests that Chongqing’s manufacturing industry has found new ways for development through B2B e-commerce.
The journalist also learnt from local insiders that the overall planning for traffic and logistics, which analyzes logistics status in Chongqing and western China and proposes suggestions, has been officially completed not long ago. The planning will be submitted to upper regulators for review and might be officially approved in early November. The planning will advance Chongqing towards goals like multimodal transport, single electronic window and etc.
Hubei also spares no efforts in developing FTZ. Since its application for FTZ was initiated in March 2014, Hubei has launched 185 new reform measures in three batches. 25 reform measures and tests have been determined to be implemented in Wuhan first. While as a piloting area, Wuhan East Lake Hi-tech Development Zone has completed 127 reform measures, resulting in 80 achievements. More exploration will be made in investment, trade, finance, innovation and entrepreneurship, before-the-event supervision and after-the-event supervision and etc.
Zhang Jianhua, head of the School of Economics under Huazhong University of Science and Technology, told the journalist that considering that Hubei’s economy is clearly connected with rivers, central Hubei sees advantages in science and education, and Hubei has traditional industrial base, Hubei FTZ can make great efforts in opening along the river and innovation-driven development so as to boost the development of technology and science.
Hu Heping, governor of Shaanxi province, recently publicly vowed to make the construction of FTZ lead new round of high-level opening, accelerate the construction of China (Shaanxi) Piloting FTZ, actively participate in the cooperation of international capacity and equipment manufacturing, intensify the guiding role played by development zones so as to expand new development space.
Zhoushan city is the main carrier of Zhejiang’s efforts in “building Zhoushan into a free trade port”. In order to advance the construction of Zhoushan free trade port, Zhou Jiangyong, secretary of Zhoushan’s municipal Party committee, went to Singapore to seek for experience during the seven-day National Day holiday. Zhou visited many institutions and local enterprises there.
According to Zhang, “all FTZs, located along the coast or in the mainland, share the common point that they are established to make market-oriented mechanism play decisive role. This is a core point.”
While Xiao Lin, head of the Development Research Center of Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, suggested that the 11 FTZs across the country should have more communication and interaction. Xiao believed that these 11 FTZs constitute a national FTZs network. How to achieve unified system arrangement, especially unified market system and management system, is worth various parties’ exploration.
Translated by Jennifer Lu
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