Research On Evaluation And Strategies Of Sustainable Development Of Foreign Trade In China

China's international trade has gained impressive achievement ever since the Reform and Opening-up. Recently, it has already been taken as the third"powerhouse"for driving China's rapid economic growth in addition to domestic consumption and investment. However, few literatures in economics give an agreed answer to the issues of whether the trade driven economic growth mode will be sustainable, whether it facilitates resource allocation efficacy and whether it is contributing to the health of national economic development in the long run. Thus it becomes not only a hot topic for research, but even imperative for China to develop a system of indicators for measuring sustainability of international trade.The paper first gives a definition of sustainable development in terms of economy, ecology and social development. Then the author proceeds with a thorough review of theories on sustainability of international trade as well as the status quo of sustainability of China's international trade. After this, the paper strives to develop a system of indicators for measuring sustainability of international trade. In view of the complexity of the factors governing the sustainability from economy, society and environment, it becomes necessary for the paper to build the system of indicators from multi-aspects and multi-dimensions in order to ensure an objective and scientific outcome. Following the existing system of indicators, picking up 22 indicators of three categories, the paper therefore develops a comparatively comprehensive and logical set of indicators for the evaluation of the sustainability of international trade development, in line with principle of orientation, precision, feasibility and completeness, etc. Consequently it conducts an empirical analysis with near 10 years data of China's international trade. The outcome and analysis shows the sustainability of China's international trade is improving with indicators of economic growth, environment protection and social development heading on the right direction. But indicators of environment are too much volatile and follow declining trend among the three categories of indicators of economy, environment and social development. The overall social benefit changes little. All this reflects the undue treatment of environment while developing international trade, the social spillover effect is insignificant and ecological and social benefit remains to be enhanced. So it is necessary to take feasible and well grounded measures in terms of economy, ecology and social development to facilitate the sustainability of China's international trade.