| After10years of development, the trade and investment facilitation carried out by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has improved significantly since its first establishment, and has efficiently promoted the process of the integration of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. During the past ten years, the member countries have promoted trade and investment facilitation in customs, quality control, finance, transportation, investment and promotion and such areas, and has also enhanced the pragmatic collaboration in the following areas, agriculture, energy, transportation and science and technology. Meanwhile, trade links between member countries have expanded, areas in collaboration investment have broadened and regional economic cooperation has deepened.Focusing on the issues of the trade and investment facilitation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization systematically has a significant meaning in both theory and practice. First of all, there is great significance to study this issue in practice. On one hand, this is beneficial to upgrading the level of the trade and investment level in regions, to detect the existing problems and what to focus on in the future, as well as activate the vitality of regional economics, in order to realize the economical goals in the respective regions by collaboration. This can be done by systematically studying the achievements of the trade and investment facilitation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization of the past ten years. On the other hand, by studying the relevant methods to promote the trade and investment facilitation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, it is also beneficial for China to be able to participate more efficiently in the regional economical cooperation within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and also promote the sustainable development of economic growth in our country. Secondly, there is great theoretical meaning to study these issues. Focusing on the mechanism of promoting the trade and investment facilitation through collaboration in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is also a whole new way to explore regional economical cooperation in theory. In the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, there are countries with strong economical powers, such as China and Russia, and also mid-Asian countries with relevantly weaker strengths. Not only do these countries have huge gaps between each other’s economical power and uneven internal development within each country, but they are also new and developing economies. To promote the trade and investment facilitation and to achieve the goals of regional economical cooperation in such regions with such complicated structures, we cannot just copy the ways of the European Union and North America. We need member countries to create new and unique regional collaboration models. This study puts in consideration of the complicated structures with relevant regions, and attempts to detect collaboration mechanisms for trade and investment facilitation, models for countries with strong and weak strengths to work with each other, increase the level of regional trade and investment facilitation, in order to develop together within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The economic developments that have been achieved in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization regions are based on the effects of trade and investment facilitation carried out in these areas, and efforts on promoting the pragmatic cooperation of trade and investment facilitation. Therefore, the level of trade and investment facilitation affects the breadth and depth of regional cooperation severely, and also has direct effects on the establishment of free trade regional negotiations by member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in2015and the completion of free trade areas in2020. However, there is still a great gap between the level of trade and investment facilitation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the actual needs of regional economic development. Hence, the main focus for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in the future is to increase its efforts to promote trade and investment facilitation and improve the trade investment environment in related regions. This means that the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization need to reduce non-tariff barriers, green trade barriers, import licenses, import quotas and such ways to enhance the level of trade facilitation; as well as by continuing-to strengthen the construction of a modern international transportation system, simplify the overseas personnel formalities for foreigners when crossing borders, improve respected government efficiency, encourage foreign investment and secure the legitimate rights of foreign capital, and create a politically stable investment environment. China should increase its investment, play a leading role and continue to promote the expansion of collaboration areas. Only by deepening economical cooperation can we promote the process of trade and investment facilitation, and thus to achieve the aim of establishing a free trade zone by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Especially with the consideration of the global financial crisis still in effect, only by enhancing the cooperation between member countries can we solve the problems in each respective country. Areas for collaboration and discussions to be carried out include not only energy, but also other fields, such as to strengthen the positive development of science-intensive and innovative cooperation projects in the field of high-tech communication system, develop transportation infrastructure, develop international logistic centers, create regional financial cooperation systems and provide financial support to multilateral cooperation. In order to carry out facilitation construction in the future, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization needs to improve it institutionalization, the sustainable development of financial cooperation, and to promote trade and investment facilitation at the same time in order to achieve maximum results.This study adopts both general and detailed research methods, in order to reveal the process and future of the trade and facilitation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. This study believes that the theory of regional economic cooperation, international transaction cost theory and international trade theory are the basis of the theory of trade and investment facilitation. This dissertation argues that only by grasping the overall status of the economy in relevant regions of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the legal framework and systematic construction of the trade and investment facilitation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, can we promote the facilitation of both aspects in a better way. This study focuses on the establishment and development of trade and investment facilitation, and detects the foundation, obstacles and future of the trade and investment facilitation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, as well as the results and problems in trade and investment facilitation, and the pragmatic cooperation methods that member countries have adopted in order to promote trade and investment facilitation. Finally, the dissertation proposes the overall planning to increase the level of facilitation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the strategies and measures that our country should adopt in order to promote the trade and investment facilitation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. This study systematically researches on the achievements and the problems that have surfaced during the past ten years of the trade and investment facilitation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, points out the direction of development for its future and proposes the strategies for China to play a more efficient role for the facilitation process in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, so to promote the trade and investment facilitation and hence, promote the process of regional economic integration.This dissertation includes8chapters. The first and second chapters point out the issues and propose that trade and investment facilitation should be the initial economical cooperation mission for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Therefore, this study has a significant theoretical meaning, as well as practical importance. Meanwhile, these two chapters also introduce the related theories, concepts and definitions, and the relevant studies and summaries carried out both nationally and internationally. Chapter Three introduces the current developments of the regional economic cooperation the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. By analyzing the achievements and problems of the regional economical cooperation by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the third chapter concludes that promoting trade and investment facilitation continues to be the initial economical cooperation mission for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Only by carrying out facilitation, can we expand trade areas and increase regional productive forces, and to solve the regional economical cooperation problems, so to increase the level of regional trade and investment facilitation and promote the process of regional economic integration. The fourth chapter illustrates the legal foundation and mechanism construction of the trade and investment facilitation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The process of the trade and investment facilitation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is also the process of establishing regional legal systems. Thus, in order to focus on the legal foundation and mechanism construction of the trade and investment facilitation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the dissertation outlines the overall institutional framework and mechanisms platform. Chapter Five focuses on the analysis of the process of trade facilitation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. By using quantitative methods, this chapter systematically researches on the achievements and constraints of regional trade facilitation, evaluates the progress and results of regional trade facilitation and explores the challenges and future of establishing free trade zones. The sixth chapter focuses the analysis of the developments on the investment facilitation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. This chapter uses quantitative methods to analyze the level of regional investment facilitation, the strategies that countries have adopted to improve relevant investment environments and the multilateral or bilateral pragmatic cooperation carried out by respective countries. Chapter Seven states the construction of the free trade zones of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The free trade zones are a platform for economical and trade cooperation, which combines both trade and investment elements. The construction of the free trade zones of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a crucial platform for accelerating the trade facilitation and investment facilitation within the zones. Hence, this chapter focuses on analyzing the conditions and development strategies of constructing the free trade zones between member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Chapter Eight is the summary of this study. This chapter is a conclusion to the whole dissertation, and also a conclusion to the planning of the trade and investment facilitation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. In the future, the construction of the facilitation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the perfection of the institutionalism, the sustainable development of financial cooperation, and the promotion of trade and investment facilitation together will be more in effect.The research methods that this study has adopted are as follow:First of all, a historical, dynamic research method. This dissertation reviews and summarizes the development and process of the trade and investment facilitation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization during the past ten years through a historical perspective, analyzes the patterns of its developments and changes, and finally analyzes the conditions and development strategies on promoting trade and investment facilitation within member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Secondly, this study adopts a qualitative and quantitative combined method for analysis. This study illustrates the issues of the trade and investment facilitation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and mainly adopts a qualitative method for analysis. This dissertation also uses a large amount of data to describe and illustrate the relationship between the relevant economical variables and to clearly explain the internal pattern of the phenomena studied in this dissertation, especially by using quantitative methods to analyze and measure the level of the trade and investment facilitation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Third of all, this dissertation uses an institutional analysis method. The improvement of the trade and investment facilitation of the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is obviously related to the institutional changes of many aspects of these countries. Therefore, this study adopts the relevant theories of institutional analysis methods to analyze the effects and paths selected in the trade and investment facilitation process of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and concludes that the effects of the measures taken to promote the trade and investment facilitation is related to the order of the institutional changes carried out.There are several innovation points in this paper:Firstly, maintain perceptiveness when analyzing the future for the trade and investment facilitation. This study not only proposes creative new ideas for strategies, but also illustrates careful planning for the future of promoting the trade and investment facilitation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Secondly, this study is carried out by using not only qualitative methods, but also quantitative methods to analyze the level of both trade and investment facilitation in regions of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which makes up for the lack of using both methods within studies in China. Thirdly, this study systematically summarizes the experiences and issues that have surface during the past ten years in the trade and investment facilitation process of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and proposes suggestions on how to actively promote the institutional establishment for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.The limitations of this study are as follow:Firstly, due to the difficulties in obtaining the data of certain countries, especially from Uzbekistan, it is not possible to cover all the data of these countries. Hence, the calculation, analysis and suggestions on proposing relevant strategies are affected by this reason. Secondly, due to the limitations of the author’s knowledge and limited conditions on analyzing, the research on the trade and investment facilitation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization may not be comprehensive enough, as well as shortcomings in this dissertation. |
PDF Full Text Request