An Analysis On The Foreign Affairs Administration Of District-level Government Of Coastal Areas In Eastern China

The reform and opening-up policy gives priority to develop the coastal areas in eastern and southern China, where the cities enjoy great opportunity and gain tremendous development to achieve the highest level of marketization, attract the largest number of foreign capital and become most robust cities in China. With the expanding and deepening of the reform and opening-up and the decentralization of authority from the central government to local governments, local government foreign affairs administration has experienced booming development. Particularly, after the decentralization of authority in foreign affairs in the early 1990s, the administration function of foreign affairs of local government has been strengthened and broadened, so has its function to serve local economic development. The decentralization of authority and reform and opening-up practice fully mobilized local governments’ motivation to conduct international exchange and cooperation. By taking advantage of foreign resources and local strengths in accordance with local development characteristics and international exchange needs, local governments enhanced their overall planning and coordination, which not only effectively promoted opening-up and economic development of local areas, but also made a positive contribution to the general diplomacy of the country. While foreign affairs administration at district-level, as the basic level, and as an important component of the general diplomacy of the country and opening-up practice of local areas as well, is playing a more and more important role in local foreign exchange activities, acting as a vital driving force of city development. With the rapid development of export-oriented economy and the advancement of urban international process, local foreign affairs administration has experienced great changes in terms of intention and extension. Instead of simple reception, more focus has been put on service-oriented administration which integrates administration, coordination and adviser. Currently China is intensifying the administrative reform and quickening up the pace to build a service-oriented government. The transformation of government functions, simplification of administrative procedures and decentralization of power will transfer the focus of administration service to local governments. Foreign affairs administration is no exception. For district-level government, as an important player in the system of three-level (namely city, district, and town/sub-district) administration based on two-level (namely city and district) governments, how to improve foreign affairs administration in the service of local economic development and in support of local opening-up practice and exchange activities according to changes of situation and function has become a hot topic seen as vital by governments at all levels. This thesis takes the foreign affairs administration practice of Suzhou Wuzhong District, a pilot place of reform and opening-up in Jiangsu Province and all over China, as a case study, probes into the effects and functions brought by strengthening of foreign affairs administration from the perspective of district-level government, analyzes the existing problems of foreign affairs administration of district-level government and their reasons, comes up with the ways and suggestions to the solutions of how to improve foreign affairs administration of district-level government, and tries to provide some practical experience and reference for discussion of foreign affairs administration at district-level.This thesis employs the theory of decentralization and the theory of foreign affairs administration to discuss foreign affairs administration of district-level government based on literature research and case analysis. It is composed of five parts. The first part is introduction which puts forward the background and significance of this thesis, evaluates and analyzes the theory of decentralization and the theory of foreign affairs administration at home and abroad, describes relevant theories, concepts, research methods, thinking framework and innovative points. The second part describes the institutional system of foreign affairs management in local government, analyzes the course of foreign exchanges and foreign affairs administration practice of coastal cities in eastern China, and indicates that the trend of promoting local foreign affairs administration at district-level is irreversible. The third part, case analysis, takes the foreign affairs administration practice of Suzhou Wuzhong District as case study. From the aspects of the development course, operating system, function and characteristics, and functional performance and effects of foreign affairs management, this thesis analyzes the political, economic and social benefits brought by improving foreign affairs administration at district-level. The fourth part points out several urgent problems existing in the fields of foreign affairs administration at district-level and their reasons behind. The fifth part, as the most important part of this thesis, elaborates the significance of enhancing foreign affairs administration through case study of Wuzhong District, and comes up with solutions and suggestions to the question of how to improve foreign affairs administration from the perspective of district-level government.