By Hu Jiangyun, Zhao Shubo & Wang Xiuzhe, Members of the Research Team on “Policy Research on Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Countries along the Belt and the Road Routes”, Research Department of Foreign Economic Relations, DRC

Research report No.66, 2016 (Total 4949) 2016-5-24

Abstract: China’s overseas economic and trade cooperation zone consists of manufacturing areas, industrial zones and science & technology industrial parks which will play a driving role for the clustered development of surrounding areas. In 2013, China put forward the initiative of jointly building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (the Belt and the Road), and emphasized that the construction of overseas economic and trade cooperation zone could not only push forward the realization of the Belt and the Road Initiative and greatly enhance the international competitiveness of Chinese enterprises, but also reduce the risks that China’s small and medium-sized enterprises might face in international cooperation. To build the overseas economic and trade cooperation zone, China can learn from Singapore and refer to its successful experience. For example, China can carry out intergovernmental cooperation framework agreement and let flagship enterprises play their leading role. But it must be pointed out that some problems might crop up in the construction of the overseas economic and trade cooperation zone, and we should avoid herd mentality approach, and address difficult issues for work improvement with proper measures. While paying high attention to the above-mentioned issues, the government should put in place the agreements signed with relevant countries, speed up the reform of China’s overseas investment and economic cooperation, and make overall plans for the industrial structure and spatial distribution in overseas economic and trade cooperation zone.

Key words: the Belt and Road Initiative, overseas economic and trade cooperation zone, risk, overall planning