How Should the Special Zones Continue to Be "Special"?

Abstract

The rapid development and enormous contributions of the economic zones, as "test sites" for Comrade Deng Xiaoping's theories on building up a socialism with Chinese characteristics, a "window" for reform and opening up, are universally acknowledged; the special zones have performed noteworthy services in the course of China's reform and opening up. Since 1994, however, a large debate on "whether the special zones should continue to be special" and "how the special zones should be âspecialâ " has been drawing universal attention. This is the third large debate to emerge since the founding of the special economic zones. The first one took place in the early 1980s, and revolved mainly around the question, "Should One Go Ahead with the Special Zones?" The second discussion, in the mid-1980s, revolved mainly around the question, "Is It Possible to Do a Good Job of Operating the Special Zones?"