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Jurnal Ekonomi Malaysia

59 (3) 2025 151 – 163

China鈥檚 Free Trade Zone Policy and High-Quality Economic Development (HQED) in Coastal and Inland Cities
Dasar zon perdagangan bebas China dan pembangunan ekonomi berkualiti tinggi (HQED) di bandar pesisir dan pedalaman

Faculty of Economics and Management
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
43600 每日大赛app, Bangi Selangor, MALAYSIA.

venjay1247@gmail.com

Faculty of Economics and Management
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
43600 每日大赛app, Bangi Selangor, MALAYSIA.

nasirs@ukm.edu.my

Abstract

China’s Free TradeZone (FTZ) policy, as a key initiative for institutional opening-up, plays a crucial role in promoting high-quality economic development. To address the existing research gap in the relationship between China’s FTZ policy and high-quality economic development, this study employs panel data from 51 large and medium-sized Chinese cities between 2012 and 2020 and applies a difference-in-differences model to evaluate the causal effects of FTZ policies on high-quality economic development. Stepwise regression analysis is conducted to examine the mediating effects of trade facilitation and investment liberalization, while robustness tests confirm the reliability of the results. The findings indicate that FTZ established in inland cities exert a stronger impact on high-quality economic development than those in coastal areas. Moreover, FTZ policy promotes high-quality economic development by fostering institutional innovation, reducing regulatory barriers, and enhancing resource allocation efficiency. These findings underscore the importance of targeted support for inland FTZs, advancing trade liberalization, and implementing policy reforms aimed at enhancing market access and investment attractiveness.

Keywords

free trade zone; High-quality economic development; investment liberalization; trade facilitation
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Chen, W., & Mohd Saukani, M. N. (2025). China鈥檚 Free Trade Zone Policy and High-Quality Economic Development (HQED) in Coastal and Inland Cities. Jurnal Ekonomi Malaysia, 59(3), 151–163. http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/JEM-2025-5903-11

@article{,
  title={China鈥檚 Free Trade Zone Policy and High-Quality Economic Development (HQED) in Coastal and Inland Cities},
  author={Chen, WenJie and Mohd Saukani, Mohd Nasir},
  journal={Jurnal Ekonomi Malaysia},
  volume={59},
  number={3},
  pages={151—163},
 

year={2025},
}

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