“Commercial Awareness Is Global.”
The strategic and focused use of special economic zones (SEZs) as a development tool holds a special – pun intended – place in China’s story. And as Jamaica embarks on its own journey using its modernized SEZ framework, China’s journey holds valuable insights into the remarkable transformational power of SEZs.
How is the Hub being implemented? What are the timelines? What is the economic value proposition? What type of industries will be attracted to the hub? What strategy will be used to attract the leading global companies? How will the hub be financed? What are the opportunities for local businesses?
The Executive Chairman of the Alibaba Group, Jack Ma, seems to think so. In his recent address at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum he called for the establishment of online free trade zones. These e-hubs would be focused on increasing the participation of small business in global trade who due to their size often face challenges plugging into the global market place.