(Question from East and West) Chi Fulin: Compared with the world's free trade ports, where are the "specialities" of the free trade ports with Chinese characteristics?
China News Service, Haikou, November 3, title: Compared with the world's free trade ports, where are the "specialities" of the free trade ports with Chinese characteristics?
——Interview with Chi Fulin, Dean of China (Hainan) Reform and Development Research Institute
China News Agency reporter Wang Xinli and Yin Haiming Wang Ziqian
The "Overall Plan for the Construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port" was announced for more than a year, and China has taken multiple measures to steadily advance the phased goal of achieving the island-wide customs clearance operation by 2025.
What are the similarities and differences between China's construction of a free trade port with Chinese characteristics in Hainan and other famous free trade ports in the world in terms of development background, development models, policies and systems?
What are the important roles of Hainan Free Trade Port in promoting economic and cultural exchanges between China and the world?
Chi Fulin, Dean of China (Hainan) Reform and Development Research Institute and Dean of Free Trade Port Research Institute with Chinese Characteristics, recently accepted an exclusive interview with China News Service on "East and West Questions" to give an in-depth interpretation.
China News Agency reporter: You have visited the world-famous free trade port many times. From your observation, what are the similarities and differences between the free trade port with Chinese characteristics and other famous free trade ports in the world?
Chi Fulin: The
free trade port has its general laws, that is, it has the world's highest level of openness, which can be summarized into five points: (1) Implement free and convenient trade and investment policies.
(2) Implementing the "three freedoms" financial system (freedom of cross-border funds, trade settlement, investment and financing, etc.).
(3) Implement a taxation system featuring "zero tariffs, low tax rates, and simplified taxation".
(4) Implement a legal system in line with international standards and a judicial system with international credibility.
(5) Implement a convenient, efficient and transparent supervision system.
In terms of these systems and policy arrangements, the "Overall Plan for the Construction of Hainan Free Trade Port" embodies the world's highest level of openness.
As a free trade port with Chinese characteristics, Hainan Free Trade Port is different from other free trade ports.
First of all, the background of the times is different.
At present, the world is facing major changes unseen in a century, and the world's political and economic landscape is undergoing profound and complex changes.
To build the Hainan Free Trade Port in this context is to think about Hainan’s open development in terms of domestic, regional and global development strategies.
This is not only a regional development strategy, but also a major regional development strategy and an opening strategy.
Second, to build a free trade port with Chinese characteristics in Hainan, it is necessary to highlight China's basic political and economic systems.
Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, building a free trade port under the premise of adhering to the basic socialist system is fundamentally different from other free trade ports.
Third, the scope of the Hainan Free Trade Port covers the entire island of Hainan Island.
The land area of Hainan Island is 35,000 square kilometers, which is much larger than other free trade ports. The dual structure of urban and rural areas on the island is prominent, but the current GDP output per square kilometer is only about 4‰ of Singapore's and 7‰ of Hong Kong's.
If Hainan's geographical location and resource advantages can be fully utilized, the development potential of the free trade port will be considerable.
Data map: Aerial photography of the Haikou International Duty Free City Project Duty Free Commercial Center and the Xinhai Port Ro-Ro Terminal Passenger Transport Comprehensive Hub under construction.
Photo by Zhan Guorong
China News Agency reporter: The current economic globalization is facing a countercurrent, and the new crown epidemic has brought greater uncertainty to the economies of various countries. Do you think that China is promoting the construction of Hainan Free Trade Port, in which areas can China develop more extensive cooperation with the world?
Chi Fulin: The
purpose of building the Hainan Free Trade Port is to create a new highland of institutional openness and to create a frontier zone that is deeply integrated into the global economic system.
Hainan Free Trade Port focuses on the development of an industrial system based on tourism, modern service industries, high-tech industries, and tropical high-efficiency agriculture.
To this end, it is necessary to play the two "trump cards" of healthy Hainan and duty-free shopping on outlying islands, and speed up the construction of international tourism consumption centers.
More importantly, as China’s “important opening door”, Hainan Free Trade Port is to give full play to its unique geographical location advantages and backing on the advantages of a super-large domestic market, focusing on strengthening economic and trade cooperation with ASEAN, and enhancing Hainan’s orientation towards the Pan-South China Sea. The important influence of the region.
The key to the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port is to strengthen economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchanges with ASEAN as an important starting point, and make breakthroughs in the commodity market, factor market, technology and talent market as soon as possible, so that Hainan will become a platform for China-ASEAN economic and trade exchanges and cooperation. Important regional market.
In recent years, ASEAN’s economic development momentum has been good, and it may become the world’s fourth largest economy in the next few years.
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) initiated by ASEAN will also take effect next year.
China's participation in RCEP is a major benefit for jointly fighting the epidemic, supporting economic globalization, and promoting regional integration.
Hainan Free Trade Port is at the forefront of cooperation between China and ASEAN countries. In the long run, it will play a strategic hub role.
At present, the key lies in how to effectively combine China's huge market with ASEAN's economic growth.
Chi Fulin, Dean of the China (Hainan) Reform and Development Research Institute, accepted an exclusive interview with a reporter from China News Agency.
Photo by Luo Yunfei
China News Agency reporter: How should the Hainan Free Trade Port strengthen exchanges and cooperation with ASEAN?
Chi Fulin:
The exchanges between Hainan and ASEAN are multifaceted, and we can start from the following aspects:
First, promote the connection of various factor markets, such as the joint establishment of an international data exchange, an intellectual property exchange, and a spot futures exchange for tropical agricultural products (rubber, fruit, etc.).
Second, relying on the advantages of Southeast Asian agricultural products and the Hainan Free Trade Port’s origin policy, accelerate the two-way opening of the agricultural market, technical cooperation, and standard docking, and work together to create a cross-border agricultural industrial chain and supply that integrates planting, processing, packaging, preservation, logistics, and research and development. chain.
Third, in the field of tourism, the two parties can jointly establish an island tourism cooperative with cruise tourism as the focus, to achieve passenger source sharing and mutual transport, joint marketing of cruise routes, cruise tourism crisis management cooperation, and mutual visa-free entry for personnel.
Fourth, promote enterprises to deepen cooperation and jointly develop regional markets.
For example, support enterprises in China and Southeast Asian countries to set up regional headquarters in Hainan as a base to jointly develop large regional markets; support enterprises in the fields of tourism, agriculture, healthcare, digital economy, R&D and design to jointly forge development alliances, Promote the realization of mutual recognition of qualifications and resource sharing; encourage and support enterprises of all parties to carry out two-way investment based on their comparative advantages.
In addition, promote wider and more diverse cultural exchanges between Hainan and ASEAN.
For example, if conditions permit, take the lead in the orderly introduction of skilled foreign workers such as Filipino domestic helpers in Hainan, and jointly promote cooperation in academic exchanges, cooperative research, exchange of scholars and international students among universities, think tanks and research institutions in the region.
Data map: Aerial photography of Hainan Ecological Software Park.
Photo by Luo Yunfei
China News Agency reporter: We have seen that there are successful cases of free trade port construction in different civilized regions of the world. What do you think can be learned from the construction of a free trade port with Chinese characteristics in Hainan?
Chi Fulin:
Market economy and economic globalization are the products of human civilization.
I have experienced the level of catering and tourism in Dubai, and the impeccable service made me deeply touched.
The free trade port reflects a common culture, which is to establish a high-standard service system to meet market demand.
Looking at the three successful free trade ports of Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai, one is a special administrative region of China, the other is a national free trade port, and the other is located in the Islamic world. Each has its own characteristics, but the basic experience is all Highly open, flexible and efficient management, perfect service system, strict rule of law, etc.
To build Hainan Free Trade Port, we should draw on these successful experiences extensively in terms of institutional arrangements.
From a global perspective, the construction of a free trade port has common requirements and standards.
Hainan has developed its own characteristics while learning from other free trade ports. For example, Hong Kong, China and Singapore have efficient and flexible statutory institutions, which provides research and reference objects for the reform of the administrative system of Hainan Free Trade Port.
In both Chinese and Western civilizations, human beings are constantly searching for the best ideal life in their hearts.
In the exchange of civilizations, the free trade port, as an important carrier, is to conduct in-depth exchanges, dialogue and mutual learning in a high-level opening up.
As a major eastern country, Chinese civilization has always used an open mind to learn from the successful experience of other countries. The Hainan Free Trade Port can connect the economies, societies, and humanities of various countries, promote the process of regional economic integration in Southeast Asia, and promote the formation of a community with a shared future for mankind.
China News Service: The success of Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai and other free trade ports did not happen overnight. There are more than 100 free trade zones in the United States, and only a few have succeeded. In your opinion, what risks should be avoided in the construction of a free trade port with Chinese characteristics?
Chi Fulin:
There are different types of free trade ports in the world, and some such as port-type free trade ports will withdraw from the stage of history after completing their tasks.
At present, the most successful free trade ports are Hong Kong, Singapore, and Dubai.
From a realistic point of view, the construction of a free trade port in Hainan does face some risks, such as the risk of smuggling "buy agents" under the tax-free shopping policy on outlying islands.
Hainan should learn from the successful experience of Hong Kong, Singapore and other free trade ports. On the one hand, it should focus on trade in services and fully integrate rules, regulations, management, and standards; on the other hand, promote system integration and innovation, and establish an efficient administrative system and A fair judicial system.
In addition, it is necessary to further study how to improve the business environment as soon as possible to attract enterprises and talents and maximize the vitality of various market entities under the specific background of Hainan's weak industrial foundation, low market flow, and need to improve the business environment.
The construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port is a big article focusing on the development of the next ten, twenty, and thirty years. It is necessary to prevent the tendency of eager for quick success and blind optimism.
If Hainan can find its position and play a special strategic role in connecting ASEAN and implementing the "One Belt One Road" initiative, it will gradually become a free trade port with strong competitiveness and influence.
(over)
About the interviewee:
Chi Fulin, Dean of China (Hainan) Reform and Development Research Institute.
Photo courtesy of China (Hainan) Reform and Development Research Institute
Chi Fulin, Dean of China (Hainan) Reform and Development Research Institute.
Researcher, doctoral supervisor, member of the 11th and 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
Dean of the Research Institute of Free Trade Port with Chinese Characteristics, successively appointed as the Vice President of the China Economic System Reform Research Association, and the Vice President of the China Administrative System Reform Research Association; the Central Party School of the Communist Party of China (National School of Administration), Peking University, Northeastern University, etc. Professor; member of the National "Thirteenth Five-Year" Planning Expert Committee, deputy chairman of the Market Supervision Expert Committee of the State Administration for Market Regulation, and decision-making consultants for local governments in Guangdong, Shandong, Hainan, etc.
Experts enjoying special allowances from the State Council. He has won the National Five-One Project Award, Sun Yefang Economic Science Paper Award, China Development Research Award, National Outstanding Professional and Technical Talents and many other honors. Home", "Overview of the Academic Achievements of Famous Chinese Scientists in the 20th Century (Economics Volume)".