Following the reform in China, Russia established 17 special economic zones. Why have almost all failed now?

As we all know, in the late 1970s, China began to implement reform and opening up. With the strong support of national policies, a number of special economic zones, such as Shenzhen, have made remarkable achievements rapidly, making China rise rapidly and ranking second in GDP in the world. Speaking of it, many countries in the world are envious of China's economic achievements, and there are many imitators, such as the "reform and opening up" promoted by Viet Nam and Laos and the "socialist economic reform with Cuban characteristics" in Cuba. The first thing these countries should do to follow the China model is to establish special economic zones and give policy support to attract foreign investment.

▲ Night view of Shenzhen

However, not every country can succeed. The most typical one is Russia. Putin followed China's example and established 17 special economic zones to save the declining national economy. However, in the past ten years, few people have paid attention to these special economic zones, let alone invested in them. At the beginning of this century, after Putin took over the state power from Yeltsin, as a representative of the "hardliners", Putin solved the civil strife with lightning speed and effectively won the hearts of the people. After taking full control of Russia, Putin began to restore the declining Russian economy after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

▲ Yeltsin and Putin

In 2005, Putin began his second presidential term. After full preparation, Putin consciously learned from China's successful development experience and set up several special economic zones on Russian territory to develop the national economy. The purpose of Putin's reform is clear, which is to encourage overseas Russian overseas Chinese to invest in China with policy support and attract foreign investors to invest and build factories in Russia, thus promoting the healthy development of the national economy. In order to achieve results in a short time, Putin established 17 special economic zones in Russia's vast territory, namely St. Petersburg Special Economic Zone, Yelabuga Special Economic Zone, Moscow Greentown, Dubna Special Economic Zone and Tomsk Special Economic Zone.

▲ Overlooking the Kremlin.

One thing these special economic zones have in common is that they are all located in border areas. This practice is also learning from China's successful experience. After all, opening up border trade can accelerate economic recovery and development. In addition, the Russian government has also given many preferential policies to the above-mentioned special economic zones, such as tax reduction and exemption, land opening and so on. And some policies are more favorable than those at the beginning of China's reform. Unfortunately, over the past decade or so, most of these 17 special economic zones have to be abandoned and closed because no one cares about investment. In Zi Yuan's view, there are three main reasons why Russia is "effective".

▲ Putin at work

First, Russian overseas Chinese themselves lack economic strength. In the early days of China's reform and opening up, the key to the success of the East Coastal Special Economic Zone was that there were many wealthy businessmen and tycoons among Chinese living overseas, and many of the more than 50 million overseas Chinese living in Southeast Asia and North America were wealthy family consortia. In addition, the earliest special economic zones, Shenzhen and Xiamen, are located in Guangdong and Fujian, the hometown of overseas Chinese, and are close to the more developed areas of Hong Kong and Taiwan, which can effectively attract investment from China and thus promote the local economy to take off. Although there are many overseas Chinese in Russia, many of them suffer from exclusion and discrimination in immigrant countries, and their general social status is not high. They are even poorer than the Russian people and have no money or ability to invest in China.

▲ Russians dressed in traditional costumes

Second, overseas Chinese in Russia lack patriotism. Since ancient times, the Chinese nation has emphasized that "every man has a responsibility, and the country will dominate", and every Chinese son and daughter has deep feelings for the motherland. In modern history, many anti-Qing revolutionary uprisings led by revolutionary pioneer Dr. Sun Yat-sen were actually funded not by domestic people, but by overseas Chinese who emigrated overseas. They donated money and materials to the anti-Qing revolutionary movement at all costs, overthrowing the decadent and backward Qing government and saving their compatriots in dire straits. This is the embodiment of the simplest patriotic feelings. After the establishment of the special economic zone in China, overseas Chinese, under the call of national spirit, returned to China to invest and set up factories and feed back the motherland. Overseas Chinese in Russia are not so patriotic. Many people fled Russia for political reasons (such as the anti-feudal February Revolution, October Revolution, Stalin's repressive rule, etc.). ), they hold a grudge against their motherland. After immigrating, they were completely immersed in the embrace of the west, lacking a sense of identity, and even extremely hated their former motherland.

▲ Soviets who fled their hometown.

Third, foreign investors are afraid to invest because they are full of worries. Due to the long-term ideological opposition, the notorious abuses in Slavic history, and the powerful attack on domestic oligarchs and rich people after Putin took office, western capitalists are extremely lacking in trust in the Russian government. Many foreign businessmen are particularly cautious about investing and building factories in Russia, and they are not sure enough. They will never invest their money in this bitter and remote place in Russia, because in their view, if they are not careful, the money may go to Shui Piao, and it will be cheap for the Russian government. Generally speaking, these three factors led to the final failure of the Russian Special Economic Zone.

References:

Contemporary Russia, Biography: Russia