CAFTA边界地区的一体化效应——基于市场潜力变化的研究

Integration Effect of CAFTA Border Regions: A Research Based on Market Potential Change

边界地区因受国家边界线特殊属性的制约,成为了一国经济发展水平滞后的地区,但这种状况在区域经济一体化的背景下得到改变。一体化前地处国家偏远外围的边界地区在一体化以后成为合并了的一体化大市场的中心位置,从而降低了进入外部市场的准入成本,提高了市场潜力。因此,一体化效应在拥有区位优势的边界地区的具体体现相对于内地地区会比较显著。本文以新经济地理学三地区中心-外围模型(NEG模型)作为理论基础框架,采用动态面板数据系统广义矩估计(Sys-GMM估计)方法,具体检验了中国-东盟自由贸易区(CAFTA)的一体化效应。检验结果显示CAFTA的一体化效应是正效应,表明CAFTA的实施对区内所有地区的经济发展都有促进作用,但是具体效果却因为地区特性不同而有明显差异:边界地区的一体化效应明显高于非边界地区的一体化效应,说明CAFTA边界地区的区位优势正如NEG模型所预期的那样,在一体化的进程中得到了充分发挥。

Border regions normally lag behind economically in a country due to the restrictions stemming from the special features of national border. But this situation can be changed under a regional economic integration program. The bor- der regions that are located in the remote periphery areas before integration will become the center of a larger integrated market which will lower its market ac- cess cost to the external market and increase its market potential. Thus, the inte- gration effect in border regions that hold the location advantages should be more remarkable compared with non-border regions. Based on a three-region New Eco- nomic Geography （NEG） model, this paper examines the irltegration effects of China-ASEAN Free Trade Area （CAFTA） by using dynamic panel data supported System GMM estimation. The results show the integration effect of CAFTA is positive, indicating facilitation to general economic development within the inte- grated area. But specific effects are different due to regional features： the integra- tion effect in border regions is apparently more remarkable than that in non-bor- der regions, indicating that the location advantages held by CAFTA border re- gions, as expected by the NEG model, are given full play during the process of integration.