Selection of the Direction of the Developmental Path for China’s Special Economic Zones in the New Period

Abstract

This paper holds that, with construction and development for nearly 30 years, the special economic zones with Chinese characteristics are the pilot areas that were given the first priority for developing in the reform and the opening up and that they are also the famous brands for China to better participate in the integration of the world economy in the 21st century. The special economic zones are the special products of China’s reform and opening up. According to the developmental philosophy of keeping pace with the times, it is inevitably necessary to achieve the transformation of the special economic zones after China’s 30-year-long reform and opening up. We should proceed from the actual development of productive forces and their future developmental trends in China’s special economic zones, reposition the special economic zones and substitute new functions so as to develop them into free trade zones and free ports in a classified way in due time.

Concurrently discussing the building of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Free Trade Zone

Zhou Yunyuan, (1952—), Professor of Economics, at Sun Yat-Sen University; this paper bases its analysis only on the first batch of four special economic zones established in China, and does not include the Hainan and Pudong New Area, which was established later.