Accelerating the free trade zone strategy

The Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Between China and ASEAN was signed in November 2002. It was China’s first free trade zone treaty that ushered in an FTZ era in the country. The CPC elevated free trade zone to a national strategy at its 17th National Congress in 2007, and decided to accelerate its execution at its 18th National Congress in 2012. The Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee proposed carrying out the FTZ strategy at a faster pace with neighboring countries, and forming a global FTZ network of high standard.

When presiding over a collective study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee in December 2014, Xi Jinping reiterated the goal of building an FTZ network with neighboring countries as the basis that will also benefit the Belt and Road participants and serve the whole globe. In November 2015 the Central Steering Group for In-depth Reform reviewed and approved a document on accelerating the FTZ strategy at its 18th meeting, and set overall requirements, principles, tasks and goals, and layout for China’s FTZ construction, symbolizing the formation of China’s theory on FTZs.

The overall goal of China’s FTZ strategy is:

(1) accelerating the building of neighborhood FTZs with the aim of establishing FTZs with all neighboring countries, and improving economic and trade relations with the aim of building a huge market based on win-win cooperation;

(2) advancing the building of FTZs along the Belt and Road to create a huge market and turn the Belt and Road into a path to connectivity, commerce and trade, and openness;

(3) setting up a global FTZ network, with the aim of building FTZs with most emerging economies, major developing countries, major regional economic blocs and some developed countries, and building markets shared by the BRICS countries, emerging economies and developing countries.

加快實施自由貿易區戰略

2002年11月，中國與東盟簽署《中國—東盟全面經濟合作框架協議》，這是我國對外簽署的第一個自由貿易區協定，標志著我國開始進入自由貿易區建設時期。2007年黨的十七大把自由貿易區建設上升為國家戰略。2012年黨的十八大提出要加快實施自由貿易區戰略。2013年黨的十八屆三中全會提出要以周邊為基礎加快實施自由貿易區戰略，形成面向全球的高標準自由貿易區網絡。2014年12月，在主持中共中央政治局第十九次集體學習時，習近平進一步提出要逐步構筑起立足周邊、輻射“一帶一路”、面向全球的自由貿易區網絡。2015年11月，中央全面深化改革領導小組第十八次會議審議通過《關于加快實施自由貿易區戰略的若干意見》，提出了我國自由貿易區建設的總體要求、基本原則、目標任務、戰略布局等，這標志著我國自由貿易區理論體系已經形成。

中國自由貿易區戰略的主要方向是：第一，加快構建周邊自由貿易區，力爭與所有毗鄰國家和地區建立自由貿易區，不斷深化經貿關系，構建合作共贏的周邊大市場。第二，積極推進“一帶一路”沿線自由貿易區，形成“一帶一路”大市場，將“一帶一路”打造成暢通之路、商貿之路、開放之路”。第三，逐步形成全球自由貿易區網絡，爭取同大部分新興經濟體、發展中大國、主要區域經濟集團和部分發達國家建立自由貿易區，構建金磚國家大市場、新興經濟體大市場和發展中國家大市場等。