Over the decades, the universe of special economic zones (SEZs) has become considerably more complex with the multiplication of “zones” with new and modified objectives. This research note has two objectives. First, it provides a more complete clarification of terminologies in use. This is...

Launched in 2013, the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ) was intended to serve as a platform for testing China's new policy to facilitate more open trade and further open up its services sectors, such as finance, through easing restrictions on foreign and domestic companies. By 2018, it had...

What is the impact of special economic zones (SEZs) in emerging countries on the economy of surrounding areas? Despite the popularity of SEZs as a policy tool in virtually all developing countries around the world, there is little evidence to date which systematically analyses this question....

Special economic zones (SEZs) have been used as an important national development instrument around the world for the past several decades. While SEZs have continued to grow, they vary considerably across developing countries in form, function and effectiveness. This wide variation challenges...

This study presents a three-pillared analytical framework for the success factors and development outcomes of special economic zones (SEZs). The core argument is that countries that adopt a well-structured approach towards SEZs that they can align with the broader development strategy, executive...

Volume 26 number 2 of the Transnational Corporations journal is a special issue dedicated to special economic zones (SEZs) and their potential as vehicles for development. The issue grew out of research and background papers that fed into UNCTAD's World Investment Report 2019, the thematic focus...

This short note constructs Mobility Zones to facilitate the discussion on the geographic extent of individual mobility restrictions to control the spread of Covid-19. Mobility Zones are disjoint sets of counties where a given level of individual mobility directly or indirectly connects all...

Developing countries encounter numerous insufficiencies and limits in achieving economic development. Meanwhile they possess specific facilities and preponderance. Free Zone acts as a tool which can relatively compensate the shortcomings and may turn the potential facilities and superiorities to...

China's One Belt and One Road initiative is meaningful in building new types of international relations. China and Russia share similarities in their histories of development, industrial structures, and geographical locations, which are instrumental in building the China-Russia Free Trade Zone....