申報自貿區，重慶在內陸城市中的比較優勢

□ 文/本刊綜合報道

最近有關“自貿區”的爭論很熱。《經濟觀察報》在2014年12月20日刊登了一篇文章，討論了在中國內陸地區的西安、重慶、武漢，誰有資格爭取到下一輪“自貿區”的問題。本文不想來探討誰更有資格獲得“自貿區”，是想根據文中透露出的眾多信息，洞悉出內陸三大城市的比較優勢。

據《經濟觀察報》報道，上海自貿區之后，第二批名單落定，廣東、天津、福建入圍。一個值得關注的事實是，三地無一例外均位于沿海開放地帶。

相較沿海地帶，呼聲較高的西安和重慶等內陸自貿區在自身建設上，存在多重困境與挑戰，是無法回避的事實。西安可謂是申報內陸自貿區呼聲最高的城市之一。與之相關的宏觀背景是，國家大力推進的絲綢之路經濟帶建設。作為絲綢之路經濟帶位于西北地區的樞紐性城市，西安自貿區的申報主打“國家戰略牌”。

在去年全國“兩會”期間，西安市長董軍曾公開表示：“為進一步發揮西安在絲綢之路經濟帶建設中的輻射、帶動、服務、支撐作用，建議國家設立西安自由貿易試驗區，使之成為聯通歐亞、承東啟西的絲綢之路經濟帶第一樞紐。”

但西安籌建內陸自貿區也面臨多重挑戰。從目前全球范圍內的自貿區建設來看，基本都以運輸成本相對低廉的水運港口作為依托，缺少水運港口成為一大短板。這讓西安在對外貿易中，“被迫”依賴于鐵路貨運。作為西安申報自貿區的核心區域之一的西安國際港務區，核心對外貿易通道，即是連接歐亞的國際貨運班列“長安號”。

但這一通道也面臨競爭，國內多個城市的通歐班列與西安往西的干線基本重合。這在一定程度上分流了西安作為始發站的貨源優勢，并影響了其輻射半徑。與此相關的一個數據顯示，在進出口貿易量上，西安已遠遠落后于成都，2013年的進出口總額不及成都的一半。

另一個申報內陸自貿區呼聲較高的城市，是地處西部的重慶。作為內陸地區唯一的直轄市，重慶具有

內陸城市最大的經濟體量，2013年，無論是GDP總值還是增速，重慶均位居內陸城市之首。

目前，重慶擁有兩大保稅園區，一是兩路寸灘保稅港區，是目前中國境內唯一的內陸型和首個“水港＋空港”一區雙核保稅港區；另一個西永綜合保稅區位于重慶市沙坪壩區西永微電子產業園區內，則是中國規劃面積最大的綜合保稅區，目前該區已經吸引惠普、富士康、英業達、廣達等一批IT巨頭相繼進駐。

而在重慶的內陸自貿區申報策略上，則突出其“兩帶交匯”（絲綢之路經濟帶和長江經濟帶）的戰略優勢。在絲綢之路經濟帶對西貿易的通道上，重慶開通了渝新歐鐵路貿易干線；而在長江經濟帶建設上，作為長江上游最大的港口城市，重慶還擁有西安并不具備的水港出口。據悉，重慶申報自貿區的主體區域將集中在兩江新區和巴南區的部分區域，其中巴南區將主打“濱江自由貿易區”。

本刊記者通過調查了解到的情況是：重慶現在不僅僅“擁有兩大保稅園區”,還擁有“三個三合一”大平臺，即港口、機場和鐵路“三樞紐、三口岸、三保稅區”三個三合一的開放平臺。在中國內陸地區，水陸空每個樞紐都成為口岸，都有保稅區配對，重慶是唯一一家。“三個三合一”是重慶開放的標志性概念、標志性特征。

《經濟觀察報》報道說，長江水運之于重慶，存在一個客觀的局限。受制于下游長江三峽船閘的通航能力和荊江河道的水深限制，由重慶始發的貨輪“被迫”在宜昌、武漢等下游港口轉運，這令原本相對低廉的水運成本大幅提高。更為嚴峻的現實是，荊江航道的水深拓展極限為4.5米，這意味著，從目前的技術條件看，重慶未來也無法實現最經濟的萬噸級貨輪“江海直達”。

據本刊記者了解，如何讓長江順利通航，充分發揮長江“黃金水道”的作用，這正是未來長江經濟帶規劃的重要內容。

《經濟觀察報》說，另一個值得一提的內陸城市，則是地處中部的武漢。去年8月，湖北省政府在武漢召開“學習借鑒上海自貿區經驗，啟動先行先試工作”發布會，正式宣布以武漢東湖高新區（含東湖綜合保稅區）為主體，重點在七大領域先行先試，力爭成為中國內陸首個自由貿易區。

相較西安、重慶，武漢的地域優勢無疑更加明顯，作為內陸鐵路交通網絡的樞紐中心，武漢同樣擁有對西亞、東歐的貿易通道“漢新歐”鐵路貨運干線，同時作為長江經濟帶中游的最大港口城市，武漢還開通了連接東盟的水上貿易通道。

但自身經濟體量不足和經濟對外依存度較低，是武漢申報自貿區面臨的最大短板。與重慶相比，武漢GDP總量不足萬億。2013年，無論是進出口總額還是增幅均不及重慶的三分之一。

對此，本刊記者調查到，去年前三季度，重慶對外貿易高速增長，實現進出口總額4514.42億元，已超2013年全年，同比增長52.9%，增速位列全國第一。其中，出口2920.31億元，增長45.5%；進口1594.11億元，增長68.6%。重慶進出口、出口、進口總額均進入全國前10位，居西部地區第1位。

《經濟觀察報》說，諸多的困境與現實，讓申報內陸自貿區的各大城市在首次“擴容”中“集體失意”。客觀來看，與沿海地區相比，內陸城市在地域優勢、交通便利性、外向型經濟依存度等多方面尚存一定障礙，能否最終獲批自貿區，既要看國家層面的戰略考量和利益的平衡，也要看地方對現實問題的解決程度。

Chongqing Blessed with Competitive Advantages in Applying for FTA

Recently,the debate on FTA zone has been sizzling.Economic Observer put on an article on December 20,2014,discussing that who,among Xi’an,Chongqing,and Wuhan in China’s inland,is eligible to win FTA in the next round.This reporter didn’t intend to argue who is more qualified in this regard,instead,in light of information disclosed hereof,would like to contribute insights into competitive strengths of the three cities.

Economic Observer reported,since the establishment of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone,the second round of list was pinpointed with Guangdong,Tianjin,and Fujian included.It’s worthy noting three of which are all located in the coastal region.

In comparison with the coastal regions,the voice of Xi’an and Chongqing is laud,however this is a fact that they face many challenges and difficulties in applying for FTA.Among them,Xi’an is one of cities applying for,in a high key,the establishment of FTA zone.Against the backdrop of the Silk Road Economic Belt drive,Xi’an,known as the hub in northwestern China,plays the “national strategy”card in its application.

“In order to further exert the role of Xi’an in building the Silk Road Economic Belt,it’s suggested to establish the China (Xi’an) FTA Zone,which will become the first hub along the belt linking Europe with Asia and between east and west”,expressed openly Mayor Dong Jun of Xi’an,during the annual sessions of the NPC and the CPPCC.

Xi’an faces multifarious challenges too.Looking around the existing FTA zones worldwide,they are all backed by harbors featuring relatively cheap costs for shipment.It’s nothing less than an unfavourable factor without a harbour.This is to say,Xi’an has to rely on the railway for cargo transport in int’l trade.Xi’an Int’l Trade ＆ Logistics Park,as a core area of proposed Xi’an FTA Zone,claims a main channel for int’l trade i.e.“Chang’an”int’l cargo train connecting to Europe and Asia.

Nevertheless the path encounters competition too as trains to Europe from various domestic cities overlap basically with the main line of Xi’an westward,which eclipsed,to a certain extent,the role of Xi’an as a starting station and put a dent in its radius effect.Data showed that imports and exports of Xi’an lag far behind that of Chengdu,less than a half in 2013.

Chongqing is the other one vigorously applying for FTA.Chongqing,the one and only in western China under the direct leadership of the State Council,boasts the largest economic aggregate in China’s inland.Regardless either GDP or growth,Chongqing took the lead in China’s inland in 2013.

Presently,Chongqing houses two bonded parks,one is called Lianglu Cuntan Bonded Port,known for dual functions solely in China’s inland and first of this kind for the "Water Port and Airport" mode;the other Xiyong Comprehensive Bonded Area,situated in Chongqing Xiyong Micro-Electronics Industrial Park,Shapingba District,Chongqing,claims one of the largest planned area in China,which has by far allured an army of IT giants e.g.HP,Foxconn,Inventec,and Quanta.

作為內陸地區唯一的直轄市，重慶具有內陸城市最大的經濟體量，2013年，無論是GDP總值還是增速，重慶均位居內陸城市之首。

As for the application strategy,Chongqing underscored its strategic merit of being “a juncture of two Belts”(the Silk Road Economic Belt and the Yangtze River Economic Belt).On the trade path westward along the Silk Road Economic Belt,Chongqing opened the Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe int’l railway;in building the Yangtze River Economic Belt,Chongqing,renowned for the largest port city on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River,possesses the facilities Xi’an is short of.It’s said the principle area in which Chongqing applied for the establishment of FTA zone mainly covers part of Liangjiang New Area and Banan District,the latter one was designed for “Binjiang Free Trade Zone”.

This reporter found out that not only does Chongqing accommodate “two bonded parks”but it owns three “threein-one”platforms i.e.port,airport,and railway as well as three “three-in-one”open platforms featuring “three hubs,three ports,and three bonded areas”.Chongqing is the only one who proclaimed that each hub of waterway,road,and aviation can become a port and pair with its respective bonded area.Three “three-in-one”endow Chongqing’s opening-up with iconic concept and traits.

Economic Observer pointed out,as for Chongqing,the Yangtze River is subject to the passing-through capacity of the Three Gorges Dam and the waterway depth of Jingjiang River.Cargo ships from Chongqing have to be transferred at ports e.g.Yichang and Wuhan on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River,making a drastic increase in relatively cheap shipment costs.What’s worse,the waterway depth of Jinjiang River is maximally 4.5 meters,it means,by current technologies,the most economic 10,000-ton cargo ships from Chongqing won’t be able to have access to the seas.

This reporter investigated that how to enable the Yangtze River to smoothly open to navigation so as to make full play of the “Golden Waterway”is a pivotal part of Yangtze River Economic Belt Planning.

According to Economic Observer,another inland city worth mentioning is Wuhan in central China.Hubei Provincial Government kicked off,in August 2014,a meeting “Learning from China (Shanghai) Int’l FTA Zone and Launching the Pilot and Trial Programs”in Wuhan,and officially identified Wuhan East Lake Hi-tech Zone (incl.East Lake Comprehensive Bonded Zone) as the principal body to try a pilot program in seven key fields in an endeavour to become the first of this kind in China’s inland.

In comparison with Xi’an and Chongqing,Wuhan unquestionably enjoys geographic advantages as it,known as a hub of railway network inland,runs the “Wuhan-Xinjiang-Europe”int’l railway to West Asia and East Europe.Meanwhile,Wuhan,the largest port city on the middle reaches of the Yangtze River Economic Belt,also cultivated trade relations with the ASEAN through waterway.Given insufficient economic aggregate itself and low reliance on int’l trade,Wuhan has to overcome the most salient weakness.Comparing to Chongqing,Wuhan’s GDP is less than 1 trillion yuan.Regardless either imports and exports or growth,it couldn't make up one third of Chongqing’s in 2013.

This reporter checked out,Chongqing saw a rapid growth of int’l trade in the first three quarters last year,imports and exports totaled 451.442 billion yuan,outperforming that in 2013,a year on year increase of 52.9%,ranking No.1 nationwide.Exports stood at 292.031 billion yuan,up by 45.5%;imports at 159.411 billion yuan,up by 68.6%.The total of imports and exports,imports,and exports of Chongqing separately jostled into national top 10,occupying the first place in western China.

Economic Observer raised,the predicament and reality disappointed the cities inland applying for FTA in the first round.Objectively speaking,geographic strength,transport convenience,and degree of dependence on export-oriented economy are indeed an impediment for them,whether they will be given green light or not relies on national strategy and balance of interest as well as the capabilities of local governments in tackling the real problems.