China’s meteoric economic rise over the past three decades is an unprecedented “growth miracle” in human history. Since the Open Door policy and reforms that began in 1978 . . .
Special Economic Zone, definition – Page 24 (pdf)
Industrial Cluster, definition – Page 25 (pdf)
In addition, many clusters in the coastal region, especially those in the Pearl River Delta, were driven by FDI, especially from the diaspora in Hong Kong, China; Macao, China; and Taiwan, China. Such examples include clusters in Huizhou and in Dongguan, which was regarded as a major base. Among these clusters, many foreign and domestic personal computer–related companies such as Acer, Compaq, Founder, IBM, Legend, and many other diaspora-invested firms have established plants or parts processing.34 The Kunshan IT cluster in Jiangsu Province was supported mainly by investors from Taiwan, China. The volume of investment from Taiwan, China in Kunshan accounts for nearly one-quarter of its investment in Jiangsu Province and one-tenth of its investment in the whole country (Lai, Chiu, and Leu 2005). These foreign and diaspora investments have become important sources of technology and skills. (Page 34)
Shenzhen – The Model
China’s First Special Economic Zone: The Case of Shenzhen (Page 75)
Located in the Pearl River Delta, Shenzhen functions as a link and a bridge between Hong Kong, China, and mainland China. The Shenzhen Special Economic Zone (SEZ) was the first such zone created during the early period of modern China’s economic reforms. On August 6, 1980, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress authorized an area of 327.5 square kilometers to be designated as an experimental economic zone. The consequent promulgation of the Economic Zone Ordinance in Guangdong Province marked the formal founding of the Shenzhen SEZ.
Shenzhen’s SEZ has been serving as China’s “window to the world”
Foreign direct investment. Foreign direct investment (FDI) has made a tremendous contribution to Shenzhen’s industrialization. When the Shenzhen SEZ was established in 1980, FDI amounted to only US$0.73 million. Page 80
The Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA), established officially on December 6, 1984, by the State Council of China, is one
of the earliest state-level development areas in China.1 The past 24 years of growth and experience in TEDA have proved to be a huge success. Page 107
IBM – Page 54, 114, 212
“China’s First Special Economic Zone: The Case of Shenzhen (Page 75)”
This would be true only in the context of World Bank history. Port zones go back at least 400 years to the Hanseatic League and perhaps even as long ago as the port zone of the City of London and the Roman Empire. Earlier research on port zones can be found HERE.
