On Foreign Trade And Regional Economic Development

The relationship between foreign trade and economic development has long been a major issue in economic studies. The study on this issue dates back to classic economic schools, but then it is concerned about the functions and ways of foreign trade in the economic development of different countries on a country basis. The analysis of the relationship between foreign trade and regional economic development is not emphasis. Based on such economic backgrounds as economic globalization, China's entry into WTO and implementation of the western development strategy in China and linked by the interactive relationship between foreign trade and economic development, this thesis is designed to analyse the roles foreign trade plays in regional economic growth, industrial structure optimization, and spatial economic evolution and their implementation mechanism. The analyses develope from static to dynamic, from vertical to horizontal, and from gross output growth to structural change. On the basis of the theoretical analyses and empirical tests, the author finally probes into the problem; How can the economic development of West China seek support from its foreign trade?This thesis is divided into two parts consisting of 6 chapters. Among them, the first two chapters are general topics and the rest four chapters subject-oriented discussion. Chapter One summes up and describes the economic development thoughts existing in international trade theories of different periods . Chapter Two induces the implementation mechanisms and conditions of foreign trade's promotion of regional economic development. Chapter Three analyses the interactive relationship between foreign trade and economic devel-opment in Hong Kong and Taiwan on a positive basis and regressively testes the positive relationship between foreign trade and economic development in the southeastern littoral of China. Chapter Four starts with the scientific connotation of optimization of the industrial structure in a region, expounds and proves the interactive relationship between foreign trade and industrial structure evolution in different areas of China, and puts forward the corresponding proposals on how to optimize industrial structure with the help of foreign trade. Chapter Five starts with the formations mechanism of spatial economic structure in a region, compares and analyses the characteristics of and the interrelationship between spatial economic structure and spatial foreign trade structure in different parts of China, inquires into the necessity of optimizing spatial economic structure in China, and analyses the avenues to optimize spatial economic structure with the help of foreign trade. Chapter Six startes with the current international trade trends, takes into consideration the geographic location, economic development level as well as resource endowments of West China , expounds and proves the roles foreign trade plays in western region development, and probed into the basic thoughts and ways of developing foreign trade so as to promote economic development in West China.In this thesis, the author makes attempts and explorations in the following areas:The author completely combs up and regressively analyses the economic development thoughts contained in the theories of international trade in different periods so as to deepen the understanding of the planning of domestic development and opening to the outside as a whole. According to the thesis, the theoretical analyses and basic viewpoints as to the interrelationship between foreign trade and economic development can be divided into two kinds. The first one includes the elaborations of the roles of foreign trade in the promotion of a country's economic development and their implementation mechanism when discussing the reasons and advantages of international trade, mainly theviewpoints on trade and development in conventional trade theories and new trade theories. The second one includes the theories designed to analyse the relationship between foreign trade and economic development, mainly the trade engi...