Special economic zones
The special economic zones were the first locations in China to open to the outside world. Their dynamic economic exchanges with the rest of the world make them the best regions of China’s reform and opening up. Special economic zones were initiated by Deng Xiaoping, and established in the late 1970s and early 1980s. This was a far-reaching decision by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council to promote reform, opening up and socialist modernization.
In April 1979 the central leadership took up Deng Xiaoping’s suggestion and decided to designate certain areas in Guangdong and Fujian provinces as “special export zones” that would open first by exploiting their geographical locations near Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan and their close ties with overseas Chinese. In May 1980 the name “special export zones” was changed to “special economic zones,” and in August the Standing Committee of the Fifth NPC decided to build special economic zones in Guangdong’s Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Shantou, and Fujian’s Xiamen. In April 1988 Hainan Special Economic Zone was established, and in May 2010 Xinjiang’s Khorgas and Kashi were added to the list.
Special economic zones practice special economic policies and management systems to develop an export-oriented economy. They are major channels for China to boost its own economy by utilizing overseas capital, technology, personnel and management expertise, and are windows on and models of China’s reform and opening up.
设立经济特区
经济特区是中国最早对外开放的地区，是对外经济交流最活跃的地区，也是最能代表改革开放形象的地区。经济特区诞生于20世纪70年代末80年代初，是中共中央、国务院根据邓小平的倡导，为推进改革开放和社会主义现代化建设做出的重大决策。
1979年4月，中共中央工作会议根据邓小平提议，决定在深圳、珠海、汕头和厦门等划出一定地区，利用其毗邻港澳台、华侨众多的优势，在对外开放中“先走一步”，试办“出口特区”。1980年5月，中共中央、国务院将“出口特区”名称改为内涵更加丰富的“经济特区”。1980年8月，第五届全国人大常委会第15次会议决定，在广东省的深圳、珠海、汕头和福建省的厦门四市分别划出一定区域，设置经济特区，标志着中国经济特区的正式诞生。1988年4月，设立海南经济特区；2010年5月，批准霍尔果斯、喀什设立经济特区。
经济特区实行特殊的经济政策和经济管理体制，坚持以外向型经济为发展目标，是中国利用境外资金、技术、人才和管理经验来发展本国和本地经济的重要手段，在中国改革开放中发挥了重要的窗口和示范作用。