申报自贸区，重庆在内陆城市中的比较优势

□ 文/本刊综合报道

最近有关“自贸区”的争论很热。《经济观察报》在2014年12月20日刊登了一篇文章，讨论了在中国内陆地区的西安、重庆、武汉，谁有资格争取到下一轮“自贸区”的问题。本文不想来探讨谁更有资格获得“自贸区”，是想根据文中透露出的众多信息，洞悉出内陆三大城市的比较优势。

据《经济观察报》报道，上海自贸区之后，第二批名单落定，广东、天津、福建入围。一个值得关注的事实是，三地无一例外均位于沿海开放地带。

相较沿海地带，呼声较高的西安和重庆等内陆自贸区在自身建设上，存在多重困境与挑战，是无法回避的事实。西安可谓是申报内陆自贸区呼声最高的城市之一。与之相关的宏观背景是，国家大力推进的丝绸之路经济带建设。作为丝绸之路经济带位于西北地区的枢纽性城市，西安自贸区的申报主打“国家战略牌”。

在去年全国“两会”期间，西安市长董军曾公开表示：“为进一步发挥西安在丝绸之路经济带建设中的辐射、带动、服务、支撑作用，建议国家设立西安自由贸易试验区，使之成为联通欧亚、承东启西的丝绸之路经济带第一枢纽。”

但西安筹建内陆自贸区也面临多重挑战。从目前全球范围内的自贸区建设来看，基本都以运输成本相对低廉的水运港口作为依托，缺少水运港口成为一大短板。这让西安在对外贸易中，“被迫”依赖于铁路货运。作为西安申报自贸区的核心区域之一的西安国际港务区，核心对外贸易通道，即是连接欧亚的国际货运班列“长安号”。

但这一通道也面临竞争，国内多个城市的通欧班列与西安往西的干线基本重合。这在一定程度上分流了西安作为始发站的货源优势，并影响了其辐射半径。与此相关的一个数据显示，在进出口贸易量上，西安已远远落后于成都，2013年的进出口总额不及成都的一半。

另一个申报内陆自贸区呼声较高的城市，是地处西部的重庆。作为内陆地区唯一的直辖市，重庆具有

内陆城市最大的经济体量，2013年，无论是GDP总值还是增速，重庆均位居内陆城市之首。

目前，重庆拥有两大保税园区，一是两路寸滩保税港区，是目前中国境内唯一的内陆型和首个“水港＋空港”一区双核保税港区；另一个西永综合保税区位于重庆市沙坪坝区西永微电子产业园区内，则是中国规划面积最大的综合保税区，目前该区已经吸引惠普、富士康、英业达、广达等一批IT巨头相继进驻。

而在重庆的内陆自贸区申报策略上，则突出其“两带交汇”（丝绸之路经济带和长江经济带）的战略优势。在丝绸之路经济带对西贸易的通道上，重庆开通了渝新欧铁路贸易干线；而在长江经济带建设上，作为长江上游最大的港口城市，重庆还拥有西安并不具备的水港出口。据悉，重庆申报自贸区的主体区域将集中在两江新区和巴南区的部分区域，其中巴南区将主打“滨江自由贸易区”。

本刊记者通过调查了解到的情况是：重庆现在不仅仅“拥有两大保税园区”,还拥有“三个三合一”大平台，即港口、机场和铁路“三枢纽、三口岸、三保税区”三个三合一的开放平台。在中国内陆地区，水陆空每个枢纽都成为口岸，都有保税区配对，重庆是唯一一家。“三个三合一”是重庆开放的标志性概念、标志性特征。

《经济观察报》报道说，长江水运之于重庆，存在一个客观的局限。受制于下游长江三峡船闸的通航能力和荆江河道的水深限制，由重庆始发的货轮“被迫”在宜昌、武汉等下游港口转运，这令原本相对低廉的水运成本大幅提高。更为严峻的现实是，荆江航道的水深拓展极限为4.5米，这意味着，从目前的技术条件看，重庆未来也无法实现最经济的万吨级货轮“江海直达”。

据本刊记者了解，如何让长江顺利通航，充分发挥长江“黄金水道”的作用，这正是未来长江经济带规划的重要内容。

《经济观察报》说，另一个值得一提的内陆城市，则是地处中部的武汉。去年8月，湖北省政府在武汉召开“学习借鉴上海自贸区经验，启动先行先试工作”发布会，正式宣布以武汉东湖高新区（含东湖综合保税区）为主体，重点在七大领域先行先试，力争成为中国内陆首个自由贸易区。

相较西安、重庆，武汉的地域优势无疑更加明显，作为内陆铁路交通网络的枢纽中心，武汉同样拥有对西亚、东欧的贸易通道“汉新欧”铁路货运干线，同时作为长江经济带中游的最大港口城市，武汉还开通了连接东盟的水上贸易通道。

但自身经济体量不足和经济对外依存度较低，是武汉申报自贸区面临的最大短板。与重庆相比，武汉GDP总量不足万亿。2013年，无论是进出口总额还是增幅均不及重庆的三分之一。

对此，本刊记者调查到，去年前三季度，重庆对外贸易高速增长，实现进出口总额4514.42亿元，已超2013年全年，同比增长52.9%，增速位列全国第一。其中，出口2920.31亿元，增长45.5%；进口1594.11亿元，增长68.6%。重庆进出口、出口、进口总额均进入全国前10位，居西部地区第1位。

《经济观察报》说，诸多的困境与现实，让申报内陆自贸区的各大城市在首次“扩容”中“集体失意”。客观来看，与沿海地区相比，内陆城市在地域优势、交通便利性、外向型经济依存度等多方面尚存一定障碍，能否最终获批自贸区，既要看国家层面的战略考量和利益的平衡，也要看地方对现实问题的解决程度。

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.

作为内陆地区唯一的直辖市，重庆具有内陆城市最大的经济体量，2013年，无论是GDP总值还是增速，重庆均位居内陆城市之首。

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.