Special Economic Zone

One of the areas of China that has been opened up to the outside world, abbreviated as Special Zone. It is a Chinese version of an export processing zone that has been allowed to adopt special economic policies in line with the "Reform and Opening Up" policy. Its main purpose is to attract capital from foreign companies and overseas Chinese, and to use domestic labor to create products that are competitive for export. Foreign capital in this area is given preferential treatment in terms of taxation, land use, etc.

The decision to establish the special zone was made in 1979, and in August 1980, four areas were selected: Shenzhen, Zhuhai, and Shantou in Guangdong Province, and Xiamen in Fujian Province. In April 1988, Hainan Island was separated from Guangdong Province and became independent to become Hainan Province, at the same time it was designated as the fifth special zone. All of these areas are located in southern China, where the influx of capital from Hong Kong and Taiwan is prominent. The total area of ​​the five areas is 35,000 square kilometers.

Deng Xiaoping, who led the "Reform and Opening" policy, positioned the special zones as "windows for technology, management, knowledge, and foreign policy," and used them as a testbed for the transition from a planned economy to a market economy. In his "Southern Tour Speech" delivered during a visit to the special zones in 1992, he emphasized the further expansion of reform and opening up. Since then, the number of cities opening up to the outside world has increased, mainly in coastal areas but also inland areas, but the advantages of the special zones themselves have faded, and at the end of 1993, the government concluded that "the historical mission of the special zones as a window for reform and opening up has been completed." However, in June 1994, President Jiang Zemin instructed that "in order to quickly establish a socialist market economy system, the special zones should continue to actively explore and gain experience," confirming their existence. Future issues include moving away from a labor-intensive model to a capital-intensive model, and shifting from an all-out focus on exports to an emphasis on domestic sales.

[Akihiko Suzuki]

``China's National Capability Report'' by Wang Shaoguang and Hu Angang (1993, Liaoning People's Publishing House) ▽ ``Overview of Special Economic Zones'' by Park Jeong-dong (1996, New Review) ▽ ``China's Development Foreground'' by Hu Angang (1999, Zhejiang People's Publishing House)''

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国の対外開放された地域の一つで、略称は特区。「改革開放」政策に沿って、特別な経済政策をとることが認められた中国版の輸出加工地域。外国企業や華僑(かきょう)の資金を呼び込み、国内の労働力を使って、輸出競争力のある商品をつくることをおもな目的とする。この地域における外資は、税制、土地利用などに優遇措置がとられる。

　1979年に設置が決定し、80年8月に広東(カントン)省の深圳(しんせん／シェンチェン)、珠海(しゅかい／チューハイ)、汕頭(スワトウ)、福建省の厦門(アモイ)の4地区が選ばれ、88年4月には、海南島が広東省から分離・独立し海南省になると同時に、5番目の特区に指定された。いずれも中国南部に位置し、香港(ホンコン)・台湾資本の進出が目だつ。5か所の総面積は3万5000平方キロメートル。

　「改革開放」政策を主導した鄧小平(とうしょうへい／トンシヤオピン)は、特区を「技術、管理、知識、対外政策のそれぞれの窓口」と位置づけ、計画経済から市場経済へ移行するための実験台にし、1992年に特区を視察した際に示した「南巡講話」では、改革開放のいっそうの拡大を強調した。その後、対外開放都市が沿海地区を中心に内陸部にまで増えたが、特区自体の優位性が薄れてきたため、政府は93年末「特区の改革開放の窓口としての歴史的任務は完了した」と総括した。しかし、国家主席江沢民(こうたくみん／チアンツォーミン)は94年6月「社会主義市場経済体制を早期に確立するため、特区は引き続き積極的な模索と経験を積むように」と指示し、存続を確認した。今後の課題として、労働集約型から資本集約型への脱皮、輸出一辺倒から国内販売重視への転換などがあげられる。

［鈴木暁彦］

『王紹光・胡鞍鋼著『中国国家能力報告』（1993・遼寧人民出版社）』▽『朴貞東著『経済特区の総括』（1996・新評論）』▽『胡鞍鋼著『中国発展前景』（1999・浙江人民出版社）』

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例