By Long Guoqiang, Zhang Qi, Luo Yuze, Shi Yaodong, Wang Jinzhao, Zhang Liping, Zhuo Xian, Xu Hongqiang, Zong Fangyu & Gao Qingpeng, Research Team on “The Development and Opening Up of Border Ports along the One Belt and One Road Routes”, DRC

Research Report, No.153, 2019 (Total 5653) 2019-9-3

Abstract: Border areas and border ports are closely related to the major strategies of many countries. Serving as bonds and hubs for the implementation of China’s One Belt and One Road Initiative, stable development at border areas and border ports is of great significance. However, these areas and ports are losing advantages due to less favourable policies, prominent weak links in development and some other problems. For instance, the planning between ports location and cross-border trade market is inappropriate, the implementation of opening-up policies for borders areas is not in step with the development, the stagnant infrastructure construction restrains the development of border areas, the low operation efficiency of border ports waits to be enhanced and the financial service capacity of border areas remains to be strengthened. These issues have become obstacles for the development of border areas and border ports, inducing some people’s pessimistic expectations on the development of border areas. Besides, the outflow of skilled personnel from enterprises in border areas has led to serious brain drain. To cope with these problems, relevant government departments need to promote the opening up and development of border ports so as to shore up the advancement of the One Belt and One Road Initiative.

Key words: border areas, border ports, opening up, One Belt and One Road Initiative