Ever since the introduction of the Open Door Policy, the Pearl River Delta (PRD) has enjoyed very phenomenal export and economic growth. As a result, many scholars have tried to associate the two phenomena and describ...Ever since the introduction of the Open Door Policy, the Pearl River Delta (PRD) has enjoyed very phenomenal export and economic growth. As a result, many scholars have tried to associate the two phenomena and described the region as an,'export-oriented economy'.However, these studies, mostly based on the rapid export growth of the PRD and its status as the most important exporting area of the country,have not paid any heed to the actual export-orientation of the regional economy and, hence, cannot prove that the PRD has been a 'truly'export-oriented economy. in view of these shortcomings. the present paper attempts to re-examine the issue from the viewpoint of the PRD's local economy, at both the regional and county levels. The study period is from 1981 to 1990. Judging from the export-dependency indices and the relative importance of exports in accounting for the economic growth and industrialization of the PRD, this paper concludes that the region, though having signs of increasing export-orientation, cannot be categorized as a 'truly' export-oriented economy. In addition, it also shows that most of the 'evidences' or 'common beliefs' behind the notion of an export-oriented economy in the RD are illusionary, if not erroneous. Finally, the paper explores into the reasons behind the low export-orientation of the PRD and tries to sugyst some ways for boosting the export-orientation of the PRD and tries to suggest some ways for boosting the export-orientation of the region.展开更多
文摘Ever since the introduction of the Open Door Policy, the Pearl River Delta (PRD) has enjoyed very phenomenal export and economic growth. As a result, many scholars have tried to associate the two phenomena and described the region as an,'export-oriented economy'.However, these studies, mostly based on the rapid export growth of the PRD and its status as the most important exporting area of the country,have not paid any heed to the actual export-orientation of the regional economy and, hence, cannot prove that the PRD has been a 'truly'export-oriented economy. in view of these shortcomings. the present paper attempts to re-examine the issue from the viewpoint of the PRD's local economy, at both the regional and county levels. The study period is from 1981 to 1990. Judging from the export-dependency indices and the relative importance of exports in accounting for the economic growth and industrialization of the PRD, this paper concludes that the region, though having signs of increasing export-orientation, cannot be categorized as a 'truly' export-oriented economy. In addition, it also shows that most of the 'evidences' or 'common beliefs' behind the notion of an export-oriented economy in the RD are illusionary, if not erroneous. Finally, the paper explores into the reasons behind the low export-orientation of the PRD and tries to sugyst some ways for boosting the export-orientation of the PRD and tries to suggest some ways for boosting the export-orientation of the region.
