Sichuan: expanding its opening up between 9+2 and 10+1

Abstract

Sichuan's role and contribution in the Pan-Pearl Rive Delta (Pan-PRD) and China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA) are rather controversial topics. The author argues that the whole Pan-PRD is the forefront of CAFTA while Sichuan only acts and functions as a hinterland rather than a forefront in the Pan-PRD and CAFTA. Thus, the key to whether Sichuan will successfully participate in the cooperation between Pan-PRD and CAFTA is to play well the role as the hinterland and to make use of the establishment of the Pan-PRD and CAFTA to accelerate the clearing of its channel to the sea and expand the scope of its opening-up, which is the strategy of "taking a borrowed boat to sea under the new situation. The Pan-PRD regional cooperation has created extremely good condition and opportunity for Sichuan to seize the establishment of CAFTA. This paper will discuss, with respect to five aspects, the conception of Sichuan's participation in the 9+2 and 10+1 regional cooperation.