Innovation is vital to the success of a free trade zone, according to several lecturers at the 2019 annual conference and FTZ construction experience sharing meeting of B&R Economic Development and Free Trade Districts Association held in Qianhai yesterday.
B&R Economic Development & Free Trade Districts Association was initiated by the Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone, Hong Kong Economic Herald and two other partners and was set up in Hong Kong in December 2018. It is an answer to the Belt and Road Initiative, and it adheres to the principle of “joint consultation, contribution and sharing benefits” when “building a new pattern of reform and opening up in the new era.”
Lin Wenyao, director of the Pingtan free trade area authority and one of the lecturers at the meeting, said in his lecture that institutional innovations have boosted the development of Pingtan in Fujian Province. According to Lin, with the area’s fast economic development, some 200,000 Taiwan youths have sought career development across the Taiwan Straits in Pingtan, a former small county in the eastern part of Fujian.
Lin’s opinion was echoed by Chen Xian, a professor with Antai College of Economics and Management of Shanghai Jiaotong University.
Chen said a high-quality free trade area can fulfill its role in leading the development of the country.