北北部部灣灣經經濟濟區區：：巧巧打打““東東盟盟牌牌””

□ 文/本刊記者 王功清

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北北部部灣灣經經濟濟區區：：巧巧打打““東東盟盟牌牌””

□ 文/本刊記者 王功清

轉眼間，北部灣經濟區迎來了第十個生日。十年的發展歷程中，創造的“北部灣速度”成為奇跡，令人矚目。北部灣經濟區之所以能取得如此巨大的成就，很大程度上得益于與東盟相近的地緣優勢以及中國—東盟自由貿易區的建設及發展。

面向東盟，以東盟為特色

打“東盟牌”，以東盟為特色，是北部灣經濟區在發展過程中重要的立足點。經過十年的成長與發展，北部灣經濟區已經成為推動中國與東盟合作的重要平臺。回首過往十年，它一直致力于與東盟共建合作機制，搭建合作平臺，在互聯互通建設、旅游合作、金融合作、跨境經濟區等方面展開合作，在推進與東盟合作中呈現出許多新突破和新亮點。

十年的發展歷程中，經濟區積極推動中國—東盟合作機制的建立。

在互聯互通方面，重在推動與東盟重點口岸、高速公路、鐵路、航空等項目的合作。目前，北部灣經濟區已與東盟建立起海陸空互聯互通交通網；在海上互聯互通方面，目前已與東盟47個港口、世界100多個國家和地區200多個港口通航。北部灣港每周25班外貿航線實現東盟主要港口全覆蓋，9班內貿航線實現沿海港口全覆蓋。依托國家交通運輸物流公共信息平臺和東北亞信息服務網絡，建設中國—東盟港口物流信息平臺，其中以欽州為基地面向東盟各國，開發面向東盟特色業務平臺系統，建立中國—東盟港口信息管理中心，與東盟46個港口城市建立了城市港口網絡。在陸路互聯互通方面，經濟區通往云南、貴州、湖南、廣東等省以及東盟國家越南等6條高速公路已經全部打通，往湖南、貴州、廣東的高速鐵路已經建成通車，往云南的高速鐵路正在加快推進，預計2016年將如期建成通車，銜接“一帶一路”的南北陸路大通道正在形成。在航空方面，積極開辟新航線，目前南寧已經開通了12條直達東盟國家的航線，經濟區的空港航運體系日益完善。

在跨境經濟合作區方面，著眼于創新合作模式、合作內容和合作領域，促進雙邊貿易發展。在廣西邊境地區與越南共同建設中國東興—越南芒街、中國憑祥—越南同登跨境經濟合作區；加快推進中馬欽州產業園區、馬中關丹產業園及中泰崇左產業園區和中印尼防城港產業園區建設。依托跨境跨國合作園區、保稅物流體系，擴大對東盟經貿交流合作，不斷豐富對東盟的開放平臺。

在金融方面，加快推進中國—東盟跨境人民幣結算步伐，推動面向東盟國家的個人直接投資試點，開展邊境貿易出口業務、跨境人民幣結算業務承保試點。2011年，廣西北部灣銀行中國—東盟跨境貨幣業務中心成立，這是廣西首家地方銀行跨境貨幣業務中心，致力于推動廣西與東盟的經濟金融交流合作。

在旅游上，追求“民心相通”。共同推進環北部灣旅游圈、南寧—新加坡陸路跨國旅游通道、中越德天—板約國際旅游合作區建設；培育桂林—南寧—東興—芒街—下龍國際黃金旅游線路；中越邊境地區的電子口岸已經建成，人員流動更加便捷。

打“東盟牌”，贏“自貿區紅利”

自貿區，享有優惠的稅收和海關特殊監管政策，“自貿區紅利”被譽為當今中國改革的最大紅利。作為中國與東盟國家唯一既有海上通道、又有陸地接壤的區域，北部灣經濟區無疑是分享中國—東盟自貿區紅利最為便利的地區。“廣西，特別是北部灣經濟區，是自貿區建設的參與者、推動者和受益者。”時任廣西壯族自治區主席馬飚說。

在中國—東盟自貿區的輻射之下，北部灣經濟區與東盟的緊密合作給廣西帶來了巨大的利益。“2015年是北部灣經濟區成立十周年。十年來，北部灣經濟區用廣西1/5的土地，創造了1/3的產值、2/5的財政收入。”廣西欽州市委書記肖鶯子表示。按南寧、北海、防城、欽州四市統計，北部灣經濟區經濟總量大幅提升，由2006年的1418.99億元增長到2015年的5867.32億元，年均增長13.55%，GDP在廣西全區的比重也呈逐年上升趨勢，由29.5%上升到34.9%；2015年財政收入增長到接近千億元，年均增長20.95%，高于全區3.95個百分點；進出口總額由成立最初的26.9億元增長到240.88億元。以穩健的發展證明了北部灣經濟區的實力。

為何要打“東盟牌”？最主要的因素是其所處地理位置，北部灣經濟區最特別的地方就是貼近東盟。巧打“東盟牌”，北部灣經濟區將在更大程度上受益于中國—東盟自貿區的建設，將在沿邊開放開發以及區域合作中扮演更重要的角色與享受更大的紅利。

據廣西北部灣經濟區和東盟開放合作辦公室常務副主任李延強介紹，2014年10月和2015年12月，廣西已經兩次向國家申報北部灣自貿試驗區。在北部灣自貿試驗區方案設計中，以主打“東盟牌”為特色，重點圍繞面向東盟、海陸統籌、民族地區開放等方面開展先行先試，積極探索與東盟國家在投資和貿易便利化、金融跨境合作和監管、區域互聯互通體系建設、跨國產業鏈合作等領域的合作，加快北部灣自貿試驗區建設。例如，在申報建設北部灣自貿試驗區核心區的欽州，2015年新開通欽州港至新加坡、馬來西亞關丹、越南胡志明等7條內外貿集裝箱直航航線，內外貿班輪航線達20多條，為申報北部灣自貿試驗區做足準備。目前，自貿試驗區的審批工作已經進入最終環節。可以預見的未來，北部灣經濟區將迎來更加輝煌的業績，創造新的奇跡。

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Beibu Gulf Economic Zone: Oriented towards ASEAN in a Tactical Way

written by Wang Gongqing / translated by Xu Zhiliang

I t is amazing how time flies as Beibu

Gulf Economic Zone (BGEZ) has been established for 10 years, and remarkable progress has been registered in its development over the years, making an impressive miracle-“Beibu Gulf Speed”.Nevertheless, such tremendous achievement is, to a large extent, attributed to BGEZ’s superior geographical location adjacent to the ASEAN region, as well as the construction and development of China-ASEAN Free Trade Area.

Development oriented towards ASEAN

BGEZ has been committed to taking the cooperation with ASEAN as its main focus in the development process over the past few years.To date, BGEZ has developed into a signifi cant platform for advancing bilateral cooperation between ASEAN and China after ten years’development.Looking back, together with ASEAN countries, BGEZ has been committing itself to setting up a cooperative mechanism, establishing cooperative platforms, and carrying out the mutually benefi cial cooperation in connectivity construction, tourism, financial services, cross-border economic zone construction, etc.Thus, numerous new breakthroughs and highlights continue to emerge in the progress of cooperation between ASEAN and BGEZ.

BGEZ has been working vigorously to promote the establishment of ASEAN-China Economic Officials’ Meeting on Pan-Beibu Gulf Economic Cooperation, Pan-Beibu Gulf Economic Cooperation Secretariat and Pan-Beibu Gulf Economic and Cooperation Investment Promotion Center, push forward the setting-up of intergovernmental consultation mechanism between Vietnam and China and the involvement of Pingxiang-Dong Dang & Dongxing-Mong Cai Cross-border Economic Cooperation Zones in China-Vietnam economic and trade cooperation mechanism, and also support and implement a series of bilateral exchange activities such as China-ASEAN Expo, Forum on China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, China-ASEAN Cultural Industry Forum, China-ASEAN Summit Forum on Financial Cooperation & Development and China-ASEAN Mining Cooperation Forum over the previous years.

As for connectivity, emphasis has been placed on the progress of bilateral cooperation with ASEAN in such fields as key ports, expressways, railways, and aviation.At present, a connectivity transportation network covering sea, land and air has been built between ASEAN and China.In sea-based connectivity, shipping routes have been established with 47 seaports in ASEAN and over 200 seaports in more than 100 countries or regions.There are 25 Beibu Gulf Port’s foreign trade shipping routes accessible to the full range of main ports in the ASEAN region, and there are 9 domestic trade shipping routes having access to the full coverage of the coastal ports of China.Based on National Transport & Logistics Public Information Platform (LOGINK) and Northeast Asia Logistics Information Service Network (NEAL-NET), China-ASEAN Port Logistics Information Platform has been set up, including developing the ASEAN-oriented business platform system, establishing China-ASEAN Port Logistics Information Center, and making 46 ASEAN port cities linked on the basis of Qinzhou.In land-based connectivity, a total of 6 expressways, from Beibu Gulf toseveral provinces in China, such as Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangdong, as well as ASEAN countries like Vietnam, are open to traffi c.The high-speed railways from BGEZ to Hunan, Guizhou and Guangdong have been completed and put into operation, and the construction of BGEZ-Yunnan high-speed railway is being accelerated, which is projected to be completed in 2016.Thus, a north-south land-based route to link the Belt and Road is taking shape.In air-based connectivity, energetic efforts have been made to develop new air routes.To date, Nanning has opened 12 direct fl ights to ASEAN countries, and BGEZ’s airlines system continues improving.

In terms of cross-border economic cooperation zone, the bilateral trade development has been promoted, with the focus on innovating cooperation model, cooperation contents and cooperation fields: all the relevant parities in BGEZ have been building Pingxiang-Dong Dang & Dongxing-Mong Cai Cross-border Economic Cooperation Zones in the border areas, together with Vietnam, speeding up the construction of China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park, Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park, China-Thailand (Chongzuo) Industrial Park, and China-Indonesia Fangchenggang Industrial Park, and steadily expanding the economic and trade exchange cooperation with ASEAN and enriching the open platform towards ASEAN on the basis of cross-border and transnational cooperation zones and bonded logistics system.

With respect to finance, much work has been done to accelerate the cross-border RMB trade settlement in China and ASEAN, push ahead with personal direct investment business pilot areas oriented at ASEAN, conduct border trade export business, and establish underwriting pilot projects for the cross-border settlement of RMB trade.In 2011, China-ASEAN Cross-border RMB Business Settlement Center (Guangxi Beibu Gulf Bank)--the first of cross-border RMB business settlement centers established by local banks in Guangxi--is committed to boosting the exchange cooperation between ASEAN and Guangxi in the fi elds of economy and fi nance.

In regard to tourism, people-to-people bond is thought of as a work priority.Concerted efforts have been made to promote the construction of Pan-Beibu Gulf Tourism Circle, Nanning-Singapore Transnational Tourism Land-route Access and China-Vietnam Ban Gioc-Detian International Tourism Cooperation Zone, and foster Guilin-Nanning-Dongxing-Mang Cai-Halong Golden International Tour Route.In addition, E-port has been completed in the border areas between China and Vietnam, and the personnel turnover has been all the more fast.

Oriented towards ASEAN for the benefi ts of CAFTA

Overall, free trade areas are entitled to enjoy preferential tax revenues and the customs’special supervisory policies, so the benefits of free trade areas are regarded as the largest benefi ts of China’s reform nowadays.BGEZ, as the sole region linked with ASEAN countries in both sea-based route and land-based route, is undoubtedly the most convenient place to share the benefi ts of China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA).“Guangxi, particularly BGEZ, acts as a participant, booster and benefi ciary in the construction of CAFTA,” said Ma Biao, the then Governor of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Influenced by CAFTA, tremendous benefits have been brought to Guangxi by the closer cooperation between ASEAN and BGEZ.“2015 marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of BGEZ.Over the years, by using one fi fth of Guangxi’s total land area, one third of Guangxi’s total economic output and two fi fth of its fi scal revenues have been produced,” said Xiao Yingzi, Secretary of the Municipal Committee of Qinzhou, Guangxi.According to the statistics of Nanning, Beihai, Fangchenggang and Qinzhou, the economic aggregate of BGEZ increased by a large margin from about 141.9 billion yuan in 2006 to over 586.73 billion yuan in 2015, with an annual increase of 13.55 percent, and BGEZ’s GDP in the proportion of a total of Guangxi tends to rise year by year, increasing from 29.5 percent to 34.9 percent; BGEZ’s fi scal revenues approached one hundred billion yuan in 2015, with an annual increase of 20.95 percent, 3.95 percent higher than a total of the whole Guangxi; and the total import & export volume of BGEZ increased from 2.69 billion yuan in the early days to around 24.09 billion yuan.Such steady-state growth has manifested the development strength of BGEZ.

The reason why BGEZ developed by facing ASEAN is that its geographical location is close to the ASEAN region, which is the most important cause.Developing relations with ASEAN in a tactical way would make BGEZ accessible to the benefits in the construction of CAFTA to a greater extent; meanwhile, BGEZ would play a more significant role in and enjoy much more dividends from the opening-up and development of border areas and regional cooperation.For the purpose of making the overall planning and coordination for the opening-up and cooperation of BGEZ towards ASEAN, Beibu Gulf Economic Zone & Cooperation with ASEAN Offi ce of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region was renamed in 2014.

Li Yanqiang, Executive Deputy Director of Beibu Gulf Economic Zone & Cooperation with ASEAN Office of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, said that Guangxi had applied for the establishment of Beibu Gulf Free Trade Pilot Zone (BGFTPZ) in October 2014 and December 2015 respectively.The designing scheme for BGFTPZ is characterized by the orientation towards ASEAN, with the focus on putting it into trial operation in developing and enhancing relations with ASEAN, making an overall planning for land and sea routes, and opening the territory of nationalities.Proactive approaches must be taken for exploring the facilitation of investment and trade, crossborder fi nancial cooperation and supervision, construction of regional connectivity system, transnational cooperation in industrial chains between the two sides, as well as accelerate the construction of BGFTPZ.For instance, as for Qinzhou, which is applying for building itself into the core area of BGFTPZ, it opened 7 new direct shipping routes for domestic and foreign trade in 2015, such as Qinzhou-Singapore, Qinzhou-Kuantan (Malaysia), and Qinzhou-Ho Chi Minh, with a total of over 20 liner routes for domestic and foreign trade, laying a solid foundation for submitting the application.As of now, the application for the establishment of BGFTPZ has been set to enter a fi nal round of the deliberation and approval.Overall, it is foreseeable that BGEZ will make all the more glorious achievements and new miracles.