| Since the first bonded zone was set up in China in 1990, the economic volume of bonded zones has been constantly consolidated. They have played a significant role in connecting markets and resources at home and abroad, attracting foreign investment, introducing advanced technologies, increasing the employment opportunity and leading the regional economy. With the globalization of the world economy and the deepening of open policy in China, and especially with China's entry into WTO, the further development of China's bonded zones is encountered with severe challenge. Owing to the congenital weakness, the lack of legislation and the ambiguous positioning, the problems arising from the operation of these bonded zones stand out distinctly while further development is bottlenecked by the previous weak- ness. The functions of bonded zones are rather limited. Several administration departments, leading to a low working efficiency, handle the management. Ports and bonded zones depart and the customs inspection is not smoothly conducted.The thesis firstly points out the key factors which restrict the success of bonded zones: (1) lacking of centralized legistration and policies (2) unclear administration department responsibility (3) problems of the tax refund and operating license of import and export business (4) strength of customs control and efficiency of customs office (5) effectiveness of the function of transit trade (6) the separation problem between bonded zone and its adjacent port (7) the evaluation targets of bonded zone (8) the entry permit for different variety companies into bonded zone (9) incomplete series function of warehouse, finance and services in bonded zone (10) the limitation of the developing direction and the territory resources (11) immature infrastructure and low efficiency of information technology.Secondly, the thesis gives a summary of economic theories, history and current situation of foreign free trade zones and China's bonded zones. Considering the typical example of Shanghai Wai GaoQiao Bonded Zone, the thesis points out the key limit of bonded zones and its reason: (1) the limitation of its objective condition at beginning (2) the policy has been revised over and over (3) the difficulty in coordinating the divisions (4) the excessively rely on favorable policies. It also analyses integrated development of Shanghai Bonded Zone with its adjacent port area—the rudiment of free trade zone.Thirdly, the thesis indicates the success factors of European free trade zones. Hardware aspects saying: (1) its predominant location (2) excellent port condition (3) convenient transportation system (4) the central position of international shipping center. Software aspects saying: (1) favorable government policies (2) open supervising mode (3) flexible controlling methods. It also points out the key factors, which lead up to the success of Hamburg Free Port—typical European free trade zone.According to the analysis and comparison between Hamburg Free Port and Shanghai Wai GaoQiao Bonded Zone, the thesis makes a conclusion that the hardware circumstances of these two areas are equivalent, although the ability of Shanghai Wai GaoQiao Bonded Zone, regarding the volume ratio of international container transition, railway transportation capability, service party and competitors, is relatively inferior. However, there are much to improve when speaking of the software circumstances, for example, (1) legislation (2) sponsor and purpose (3) governing organization (4) integration of port and whole area (5) the functional position and transit trade (6) flexibility and convenient controlling methods.Finally the thesis gives some suggestions on the basis of the analysis and comparison above. For the central government: (1) People's Congress should make law of China's free trade zone to construct legal safeguard system of China's free trade zone (2) one national administration department responsible for macro management of China's free trade zone should be set up. For the local government: (1) we should fit the government policies into bonded zone and bonded logistics zone at export refund, import and export operational authority, customs control, foreign currency control and entering permission of trading (2) we should run trials on integration of Shanghai Wai GaoQiao Bonded Zone and Shanghai Wai GaoQiao Port (3) launch a pilot project to develop Pudong New Area to be a free port when there is an opportunity. For the bonded zone: (1) we should orient precisely to the relation between Shanghai Wai GaoQiao Bonded Zone and Yang Shan Bonded Port (2) we should build up a perfectly comprehensive transportation system, and put the priority on railway construction into Wai GaoQiao Port and Wai GaoQiao Bonded Zone (3) we should establish a scientific and reasonable evaluation guidelines, which will assure the smooth transfer from bonded zone to free trade zone (4) we should implement a much open system of enterprises entry permission (5) we should set up efficient and convenient Customs control principles (6) we should widely encourage transit trade, and build Wao GaoQiao Bonded Zone as an important delivering center in China and Southeast Asia (7) we should properly unlock finance currency control to encourage the finance and insurance service business (8) we should enhance logistics technique, and reinforce the development of information system. These suggestions also have reference sense to transforming and development of other bonded zones. |
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