重慶市國際戰略研究院秘書長楊柏：重慶應放大口岸經濟的競爭優勢

□ 文/本刊記者 曾睿

重慶市國際戰略研究院秘書長楊柏：重慶應放大口岸經濟的競爭優勢

□ 文/本刊記者 曾睿

4月21日，中國（廣東）自由貿易試驗區、中國（天津）自由貿易試驗區、中國（福建）自由貿易試驗區同步掛牌，加上上海，我國由南到北4大自貿區“連點成線”，我國自貿區建設正式迎來全面提速的“2.0”時代。由此，也再一次引發了重慶各界對于重慶自由貿易區的熱烈期待。

重慶市國際戰略研究院秘書長、四川外國語大學國際商學院院長楊柏教授不久前和重慶市一些部門領導一道前往上海、廣東等地進行自貿區建設和外向型經濟發展考察。日前，楊柏教授接受了本刊記者專訪，表示重慶擁有獨特的口岸優勢，應充分發展口岸經濟。

重慶可打造“口岸經濟”總部

眾所周知，重慶目前已經擁有三大交通樞紐、三個一類開放口岸、三大保稅監管區“三個三合一”的內陸開放平臺，航空、鐵路、水運都是國家一類口岸，目前還在瞄準東盟和南亞加速國家公路口岸的設立。楊柏說，身處內陸、“不臨邊不靠海”是重慶與上海、天津、廣東、福建等已設立自貿區省份的最大區別，因此，重慶已有的三個“三合一”和爭取中的“第四個三合一”公路口岸就是重慶設立自由貿易區的最為重要的口岸基礎設施，在此基礎上，重慶還需在口岸之間實現“無縫對接”，進一步提高通關效率，降低通關成本，放大重慶口岸經濟的競爭優勢。楊伯說，僅在現有的“三個三合一”口岸之間實現完全的互聯互通，貨物的口岸通關成本將降低10%左右，自由貿易區是“口岸經濟”的高級別延伸，重慶在謀求設立自由貿易區的同時也應在中國西部地區率先打造成為口岸經濟的總部，與上海“全球企業大區總部”的定位東西呼應。

提升“重慶制造”為“重慶智造”

楊柏還認為，重慶無論是申報自貿區還是發展外向型經濟，都不能忽視重慶本地具有的雄厚的制造業基礎優勢，尤其是通用制造業完備的產業鏈條。相對于有明顯“臨邊靠海的”的區位優勢的上海、天津、廣東、福建，雄厚的制造業基礎應當成為未來重慶自貿區建設的一個特點。制造業尤其是在重慶有很好基礎的裝備制造業和通用制造業的產品交易金額大、科技含量高，在運輸時間上卻沒有非常特殊的要求，在可以預見的時間段內，“渝新歐”與“一帶一路”沿線國家對這些產品會有很大需求，重慶應該把握住這一時機，在政策上傾斜、引導重慶的制造業快速提檔升級，變“重慶制造”為“重慶智造”，借未來重慶自貿區和“一帶一路”國家戰略的政策大環境，快速打開并鞏固中亞、東盟、東歐等市場，將制造業成長為未來身處內陸的重慶自貿區的產業支撐。

“教育優勢”將成為重慶自貿區核心競爭力

楊柏預測，未來重慶自貿區的建設需要大量的通曉涉外經濟、法律、貿易規則的專門人才，“制造業”發展成為重慶自貿區產業支撐的過程中還需要大量的高端產業“藍領”，更需要擁有巨大的“產業創新”能力，屆時，重慶多年來秉承“經濟發展、教育為先”理念，努力把重慶打造成為“西部地區教育高地”和“長江上游地區的教育中心”的“教育紅利”將直觀地在重慶自貿區的建設過程中體現出來，由“教育紅利”變為資源優勢，進而成為重慶自貿區乃至重慶對外開放和外向型經濟發展的核心競爭力。

作為重慶市外經貿委與四川外國語大學聯合組建、重慶對外開放和外向型經濟與國際戰略研究機構——重慶市國際戰略研究院的負責人，楊柏認為，在未來重慶自貿區的規劃建設過程中，可以充分參考國際內陸地區擴大開放、發展經濟的成功經驗，比如來自歐洲大陸的德國的發展經驗。同時，他還建言重慶的教育機構，在進行人才培養時，應進一步加強“創新創造”意識的養成教育，“最好從人生的第一課幼兒園就開始”，“中村修二（日本諾貝爾獎獲得者）就是在工廠做技術員時發明的藍光LED，從而獲得2014年度諾貝爾物理學獎。”他對記者說，在他的期望中，未來的重慶自貿區乃至未來的重慶，應該不僅僅是區域性的國際經濟中心、金融中心、產業中心，還應該同時也是科教中心、創新基地和文化中心。

Three pilot free trade zones respectively in Guangdong, Tianjin and Fujian were put into operation on April 21st. Including that in Shanghai, China now has four major free trade zones scattered from south to north, which suggests an overall speedup in the development of those zones. The situation arouses another round of Chongqing’s expectation for its own free trade zone.

Professor Yang Bai, Director of Chongqing Institute for International Strategic Studies, and Dean of School of International Business in Sichuan International Studies University, together with representatives of relevant authorities in Chongqing, recently visited Shanghai and Guangdong to observe their free trade zones and export-oriented economies. Prof. Yang has spoken to our reporter in an exclusive interview, in which he says Chongqing has a distinct advantage laying in its ports, and this city should develop the port economy to full swing.

Chongqing is AbIe to BuiId a Headquarter for Port Economy

At present, Chongqing has three major transportation hubs, three first-class international ports and three bonded supervision areas, all of which form three three-in-one platforms for inland opening-up. Besides the national first-class ports of aviation, railways and waterways, it also strives to establish the highway ports with the countries of ASEAN and South Asia. As a landlocked municipality, Yang says, Chongqing’s distance from borders and coastlines is the greatest difference from the provinces, like Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangdong and Fujian,which have already set up free trade zones. As a result, the existing three three-in-one ports together with the forth threein-one highway port under deliberation are the most crucial infrastructures for building the free trade zone. On that basis, this city also needs to forge the seamless link from one port to another, which will increase the efficiency of customs clearance, reduce the cost and enlarge Chongqing’s competitive advantage in port economy. With the existing three three-in-one ports interconnected, he adds, the clearance cost can be reduced by some 10%. Given that the free trade zone is an extension at a higher level of port economy, Chongqing, while striving to set up the free trade zone, should pioneer to build the port-economical headquarter in West China, which echoes Shanghai’s position as the regional headquarters of global enterprises.

Upgrade the TraditionaI Manufacturing into a Smart One

No matter for preparing to set up the free trade zone or developing export-oriented economy, Chongqing, Mr. Yang says, should not put aside its established manufacturing, especially the mature industrial chain of general manufacturing. Compared with the cities like Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangdong and Fujian which have outstanding location near borders and coastlines, Chongqing will boast its strong manufacturing as its own characteristic of the free trade zone. Featured with large transaction amount and advanced technology, this industry, especially equipment and general manufacturing which have solid foundation in Chongqing, has no special requirement for transportation time. Therefore, it is expected that there will be huge demands for those products in the countries along the Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe Railway and in the economical zone of “One Belt, One Road”, which represents an opportunity Chongqing should seize by the means of giving policy support and guiding a smoother industrial upgrading from the traditional manufacturing into a smart one. Relying on the free trade zone in the future and the framework of national strategy of “One Belt, One Road”, Chongqing will soon tap into the potential of markets in Central Asia and East Europe, as well as in the countries of ASEAN, and at the same time it will consolidate its current position. The manufacturing is expected to be the industrial pillar of the free trade zone in this landlocked municipality.

Education Advantage WiII become the Core Competitiveness of Chongqing’s Free Trade Zone

According to Mr. Yang’s Prediction, the building of the free trade zone in Chongqing will require numerous trained personnel in economics, law and trade rule. And the manufacturing on its way to be the economical pillar will need to employ a large number of advanced labors and, more importantly, to gain great industrial creativity. By then, the establishment of the zone will enjoy an immediate benefit brought by Chongqing’s long-term developmental concept that prioritizes the education while improving its economy and strives to shape itself as a key city of education in West China and an education center in upper stream area of Yangtze River. The education bonus will be transformed into resource advantages, which will serve as the core competitiveness for Chongqing including its free trade zone’s opening-up and development of export-oriented economy.

Jointly established by Chongqing Foreign Trade and Economic Relation Commission and Sichuan International Studies University, Chongqing Institute for International Strategic Studies is a research base focusing on issues including inland opening-up, external economy and international strategy of Chongqing. As the Director, Yang suggests that building the free trade zone may need to draw overseas experience of successful inland opening-up and the ensuing economical development, and he adds that he himself highly values the experience of Germany which is also a landlocked European country. Meanwhile, he also proposes that the educational institutions in Chongqing should highlight the fostering of students ’awareness of creativity in teaching. “It’s better to start at the very beginning of kindergarten [to foster their creativity]”, he says, “Shuji Nakamura (a 2014 Nobel laureate) invented the LED when he was a technician in a factory, and he won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2014.” Yang tells our reporter that he hopes in the future Chongqing’s free trade zone, and even Chongqing, could become not only the regional center of international economy, finance and industries, but also a center of education, innovation and culture.

Mr. Yang Bai, Director of Chongqing Institute for International Strategic Studies Chongqing Should Highlight its Competitiveness of Port Economy

□ Written by Zeng Rui