An Analysis on Characteristics of China’s Processing Trade and Its Development Strategy
Processing trade refers to the business activity of importing all or part of the raw and auxiliary materials, parts and components,accessories,and packaging materials from abroad ,and re-exporting the finished products after processing or assembly by enterprises within the mainland.It includes processing with supplied materials and processing with imported materials.Under processing with supplied materials,the imported materials and parts are supplied by the foreign party which is also responsible for selling the finished products.The business enterprise does not have to make foreign exchange payment for the imports and only charges the foreign party a processing fee.Under processing with imported materials,the business enterprise makes foreign exchange payment for the imported materials and parts and exports the finished products after processing.
Since the processing trade policy was implement in late 1970s,the processing trade in China has been developing in a sustained and rapid manner;total volume of exports and imports in the from of processing trade increased from US$2.5 billion in 1981 to US$831.9 billion in 2006,up by nearly 333 times,and its proportion in foreign trade increased from 5.7 percent to 48.6 percent.
Processing trade is the background of economic globalization in developing countries to participate in international division of labor is an important way. After twenty years of development, processing trade has become China's largest foreign trade one way for China's economic and social development has made a historic contribution to the development of processing trade, but there have been some problems can not be ignored. Currently, the new round of global industrial restructuring and optimization of factors of production shift presents new characteristics, China's processing trade is facing unprecedented opportunities and challenges. Therefore, China's urgent need for transformation and upgrading of processing trade in order to achieve stable development.
1.The important position of processing trade in China’s foreign trade
In China,the trade of exports can be classified into three types according to the trade mode,namely common trade,processing trade,and other trade. From the“sixth five-year plan”to the“eighth five-year plan”,China’s foreign trade has kept on rising,centering on the common trade and assisting by the processing trade.In 1994,the total values of processing trade surpassed that of common trade for the first time.After that,the exports of processing trade are increasing annually,and its position in China’s foreign trade is rising.Data shows
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that the proportion of processing trade to total exports has always surpassed 50% since 1995.This fact proves the important position of processing trade in China’s imports and exports of trade.
2.The characteristics of China’s processing trade and the reasons for these characteristics in recent years.
(1)Reviewing China’s total values of exports in last decade,we can conclude three characteristics of processing trade in China at present.
Firstly,the position of processing trade in China’s exports of trade tends to be stable.The proportion of the values of processing trade to the total values of exports is about 55% or so from 2000 to 2006.This proportion is relatively stable.It indicates the importance of processing trade in China and its position becomes stable.Indirectly,it shows that the industrial structure and sections of foreign trade are basically stable,and the income of processing trade is chiefly coming from some industries.
Secondly,the industrial structure of processing is upgrading.According to the comparative advantage ladder,we know that the comparative advantages of different countries,from the lower to the higher,are resource-intensive,non-skillful-labor-intensive,skillful-labor-and technology-intensive,research-and technology-intensive.Along with the execution of reform and open policy,China’s trade has gained great development and made huge progresses in science and technology fields.The processing trade has stepped into the new machine-dominant era from the textile-dominant era.
Thirdly,the added value of products in the processing trade has been greatly improved.The upgrading of industrial structure will inevitably increase the value of commodities and their added value, which can help us gain more profits from exports.That is vital for the further development of processing trade in China.
(2)Why processing trade becomes more important in China.And why the quantities and total values of exports increase annually.
Firstly,thanks for the integration of international economy and the great division of trade,China has gradually become a giant in the field of processing trade.What our aim is to be a great power in the trade field at present.Therefore,the processing trade has to catch up with the same space.Developing the processing trade,as the most important trade mode,firstly can drive the deepening development of other trade modes.
Secondly,according to Ricardo’s comparative advantage theory and Ohlin’s factor endowment theory,China has rich natural resources and labor resources.That is our advantages and endowments at present.The trade theory tells us to make best use of favorable factors to develop the foreign trade.
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Thirdly,the processing trade is a mode of international trade resource allocation in essence.Different countries produce commodities at different levels based on their unique comparative advantages and engage in trade.In fact,this process is for different countries accomplishing different production at different stages.As a result,resources are optimized,and costs of production are reduced.Finally,the competence is enhanced.
Fourthly,China’s present system is good for the development of processing trade. Companies that are engaged in processing trade can enjoy favorable taxation.No tax-drawback procedure in exports.It can reduce companies’ capital occupation and management costs.Besides,market for exports is relatively reliable.What the companies have to do is to manage well production and obey the contracts.Costs are under control.As far as the local governments are concerned,the processing trade is an important power to ensure the scale and the growing speed of exports,because it is free from the impact of policy changes,such as taxation, tax-drawback,and exchange rate,and market fluctuation.
3.The potential problems in China’s processing trade
The analysis above helps us understand the importance of processing trade and the characteristics in its development.
In general,its development is optimistic.But we have to realize the fact that there are still many malpractices and potential problems in the development of processing trade.In specific,these problems are as follow.
(1)In recent six years,the proportion of the values of processing trade to the total values of exports is about 55%.It seems fixed and loses its advantages in development.
(2)Companies depend on processing trade for a long time, being short of endogenous development ability of economy and self-independent innovation.
(3)Some projects of processing trade are not associated with the upward or downward industries.These projects fail to benefit the growth of economy and science and technology,except solving employment.
(4)The processing trade has exerted certain negative effects on our environment,resources,and energy.In special,the low-value-added processing industries have destroyed the environment to such a severe degree.
4. Suggestions and countermeasures
Considering the present situations and the potential problems in China’s processing trade,author thinks that the government and companies can reduce the negative effects of processing trade on China from these aspects as follow.By this way,the processing trade can gain better development and China’s economy can achieve a fast increase.Next,relevant explanations and suggestions are proposed in responding to the four
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problems brought forward in the third part of this paper.
Firstly,the proportion of the values of processing trade to the total values of exports is relatively stable.The reason is that China’s processing trade is at the important period of industry upgrading and direction changing.The stable proportion is for lack of right chance.Why the values of trade in different industries are relatively stable is not because of losing advantages in development.As a matter of fact,it is an inevitable stagnation for reform.
Secondly,the government should provide with motivation policies for companies’ self-independent innovation.Government can guide companies to pursue processing industry’s upward or downward development,creating a complete industrial chain,and trying to export the products with China’s brand.
Thirdly,the processing trade chiefly focuses on processing materials supplied by clients chiefly and complementarily processing with imported materials.Processing materials supplied by clients is to produce commodities with semi-products supplied by clients according to requirements.The processing company can charge the clients for processing costs.Processing with imported materials is to produce commodities by self.Companies can manage the business by themselves,including the organization of material resources,the types of products, and the specific production.In a sense,it is the companies themselves who are responsible for their losses.They are meaningful for China’s economy,which can be illustrated by these points as follow.
(1)Solve the contradiction between the surplus productivity of the state and the shortage of raw materials, increasing China’s foreign exchange.
(2)Develop new labor resources and create new employment, flourishing the local economy.
(3)Introduce foreign advanced technological and managerial experiences and drive the development of exterior economy.
(4) Build up our own brands and products, enhancing companies’ self-independence, what can help to improve companies’ innovative spirits.
Fourthly,the rise is originated from the improvement of quality instead of the increase of quantity, gaining success by quality.In the key period of constructing a wealthy society,the state council puts forward that it is a must to change the way of economic growth.As far as the foreign trade field is concerned,it is necessary to speed up the transformation of foreign trade growth. China should make best use of its comparative advantages,making
up the
shortage of resources,expanding
the space of
development,increasing the added values,and achieving the success by quality.
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Fifthly,sharpen the consciousness of environment protection.In the process of developing economy,we should emphasize the protection for ecological environment in order to achieve the harmony development of society,economy,and environment.Therefore,we should speed up the upgrade of industrial structure,reducing the low-value-added,highly-environment-polluted,and seriously-energy-consumed industries,pursuing the development of green industries.
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中国加工贸易特点与发展策略分析
加工贸易是指进口全部或部分原辅材料，零部件，配件，包装材料的商业活动，企业在内地加工或装配后的成品品重新出口至内地。它包括来料加工和进料加工处理。来料加工方式下，进口的材料和配件由外方也就是负责提供销售产品的一方提供。企业不需要付进口料件的费用，只收取加工费。进料加工方式下企业需要向外方购买原料，配件加工后并出口成品。
自从加工贸易政策在20世纪70年代后期实施，中国的加工贸易以平稳快速的方式发展着，加工贸易的进口总额和出口总额从1981年的25亿美元增加到1006年的831.9亿美元，增长了近333倍，其外贸比重从5.7％上升至48.6％。
加工贸易是经济全球化背景下发展中国家参与国际分工的一种重要方式。经过二十多年的发展，加工贸易己成为我国最大的对外贸易方式之一，为我国经济和社会发展做出了历史性贡献，但加工贸易的发展也出现了一些不容忽视的问题。目前，新一轮全球生产要素优化重组和产业转移呈现新的特点，中国的加工贸易面临着前所未有的机遇和挑战。因此，我国加工贸易迫切需要转型升级，以实现平稳发展。
一、加工贸易在中国外贸中的重要地位
中国按贸易方式将贸易分为三类：一般贸易、加工贸易及其他贸易。从“第六个五年计划”到“第八个五年计划”，中国的对外贸易在一般贸易的支撑以及加工贸易的协助下不断增加。1994年，加工贸易总值首次超过了一般贸易。此后，加工贸易额逐年增加，其在中国对外贸易的地位也不断攀升。有数据表明，加工贸易出口总额占外贸出口总额的比例，自1995年以来一直超过50％。这一事实证明了加工贸易在中国对外贸易中的重要地位。
二、中国加工贸易的特点形成原因
（一）回顾过去10年中国出口总额情况，可以得出加工贸易三大特点 首先，加工贸易在中国外贸中的地位趋于稳定。2000年至2006年期间，加工贸易出口总值占外贸出口总额一直相对稳定地保持在55％左右，。这表明在中国加工贸易的重要性，并且比例趋于稳定。此外，有数据表明，加工贸易的产业结构和外贸部门，也基本稳定且加工所得收入也集中于部分产业。
其次，加工贸易产业正在升级。根据比较优势的阶梯，我们可知国家的比较优势从低到高分为资源密集型，非熟练劳动力密集型，熟练劳动力和技术密集型，研发和技术密集型的。随着改革开放政策的执行，中国贸易在科学和技术领域已取得了巨大进步。加工贸易已经从纺织为主的时代进入到了新的机械为主导的时代。
第三，加工贸易产品增值率有了很大提高。产业结构升级将不可避免地增加产品附加值，这有利于我们从出口中获得更多的利润，也对中国加工贸易的进一步发展至
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关重要。
（二）加工贸易重要性及出口逐年增加的原因分析
首先，国际经济一体化以及全球产业分工使中国已逐渐成为加工贸易领域的巨人。而我们的目标是成为贸易大国。因此，加工贸易已赶上这个步伐。加工贸易作为最重要的贸易模式，其发展可以带动其他贸易方式的深入发展。
第二，根据李嘉图的比较优势理论和俄林的要素禀赋理论，中国拥有丰富的自然资源和劳动力资源，这是我们目前的优势。贸易理论告诉我们要尽量利用有利因素，发展对外贸易。
第三，加工贸易是国际贸易在本质上的资源配置模式。不同的国家基于其独特的比较优势生产不同层次的商品参与贸易。事实上，为完成这一过程在不同阶段会有不同的国家生产不同的产品以使资源优化，生产成本降低，最终增强实力。
第四，中国目前的体制适合加工贸易发展。加工贸易企业享受税收优惠政策，无出口退税手续。这有利于降低企业的资金占用和管理费用。此外，出口市场是相对稳定的。企业只需根据合同，管理好生产，其成本是可控的。对政府而言，加工贸易有利于确保出口的规模及速度不断扩大。因为其不受政策变化影响，包括税收、出口退税、汇率以及市场变动。
三、中国加工贸易的潜在问题
上述分析帮助我们了解了加工贸易的重要性及特点。总体来说，它的发展是乐观的。但我们必须认识到加工贸易仍有许多弊端和潜在问题。具体而言，这些问题如下：
（一）最近6年来，加工贸易占外贸总额比例一直约为55％，相对固定，没有发展的优势。
（二）企业长期依靠加工贸易，缺乏内生能力、经济独立能力以及自主创新。 （三）一些项目未向上下游延伸。除了解决就业问题外，不利于经济和科学技术的发展。
（四）加工贸易已对我国环境，资源以及能源方面带来负面影响，一些低附加值的加工工业已严重破坏了我国的环境。
四、建议与对策
从中国加工贸易现状和潜在问题出发，笔者认为，政府和企业可以从不同方面降低中国加工贸易的负面影响，使加工贸易更好发展并加快中国经济发展速度。以下为针对本为第三部分问题提出的建议和对策。
首先，加工贸易出口所占比例相对固定。其原因是中国加工贸易正处在产业升级重要转变时期。稳定说明缺乏正确的机会。为何各种产业的比值都相对稳定，这并不代表失去了发展优势。事实上，这是一个改革的必然停滞阶段。
其次，政府应给予政策引导，要求企业自我激励、自主创新。政府可以引导企业发展上、下游产业，形成完整的产业链，并试图以中国自主品牌出口。
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第三，加工贸易主要集中于来料加工和进料加工。由客户提供加工材料的生产多半按客户提供的样品进行生产，企业之赚取部分加工费。而进料加工，企业自主进口产品加工。企业可自主管理业务，包括原材料的来源，产品类型，具体的生产等。在某种意义上说，企业是自负盈亏。这对于中国经济的发展至关重要，主要体现在：
1.解决国家生产力过剩和原材料短缺之间的矛盾，增加外汇收入。 2.运用劳动力资源，创造就业机会，繁荣地方经济。 3.引进国外先进技术和管理经验，带动外部经济发展。 4.建立自主品牌，提高企业独立性，提升企业创新精神。
第四，发展是建立在质的提高上而非量的无限增加。在建设小康社会的关键时期，国务院提出，转变经济增长模式势在必行。对外贸易领域来说，有必要加快转变外贸增长模式。中国应善用自身比较优势，补足短缺资源，扩大发展空间，提高附加价值，并实现质的飞跃。
第五，增强环保意识。在发展经济的过程中，我们应注重对环境的保护，以达到社会、经济和环境的和谐发展。因此，我们要加快产业结构升级，减少低附加值和“两高一资”的产业，追求并发展绿色产业。
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