China's five special economic zones (SEZs) have become popular stopovers for foreign officials making tour in China.

The attraction of the SEZs lies in the extraordinary achievements that they made in the past two decades with a view the experiments in economic reforms are valuable to both China and the world.

As the forerunner of the SEZs, Shenzhen in south China's Guangdong Province received more than 80,000 foreign officials since it has been established, including many state heads and senior government and parliament officials, and party leaders.

While marveled at the remarkable 30 percent of average annual growth rate of the SEZ, Boutros B. Ghali, former Secretary General of the United Nations, and officials from India, Vietnam, Cuba, Peru and other Asian and African countries, said that the mode of fast economic development in China's SEZs is worthwhile for other developing countries to follow.

Having visited Zhuhai City in 1999, Le Kha Phieu, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, said that the success of the SEZs represents the correct development mode chosen by China.

Establishment and achievements of Shenzhen and Zhuhai proved that communists are capable of handling economy," said Le.

Igor Alexeyevich Rogachev, Russian Ambassador to China, pointed out that while enjoying China's tax and financial preferential policies, the SEZs have pioneered in open-market reforms, which have made them attractive to foreign investment.

Russia and China share not only common borders but also similar economic systems. China's experience in developing SEZs is of special importance to Russia's economic reforms, Rogachev said.

A number of Russian cities have established regular exchange ties with Shenzhen. Delegations from 15 cities in Russian made their visits to Shenzhen this year for expanding economic cooperation spheres.

"Russia will introduce some successful experiences of China's SEZs into the development of new and high-technology development zones," Rogachev said.

China's experiences in the economic reforms suggests a smooth transformation process in adapting a nation's economic system into the global mainstream, said V.F. Shkuro, charge d'affairs ad interim of Ukraine to China.

He attributed China's SEZs to a booster to accelerate the transformation process.

"As a major step to advance its economic reforms, Ukraine has prepared to set up its own special economic zones," Shkuro said.

The SEZ development in Ukraine can borrow China's already-made examples in respects of choice of locations, law-drafting, tax and export policies, land distribution, infrastructural construction and a coordinated development mode of technology and economy, he added.

Three Ukrainian cities, Nikolayevskaya obl., Sevastopol and Kiev, are now engaging in cooperation in trade and labor services, and high-technology projects with Xiamen and Shantou Special Economic Zones. The business value is worth US$ 10 million.

The diplomat said that his country is expecting to expand the cooperation to the telecom sector.

Kazakhstan Ambassador to China, Suldanov, referred to China's SEZs as mirrors and showcases to his country's reform and opening-up.

Suldanov said, "China's SEZs have laid a solid foundation for the country's economy to be integrated into the international market, and its accession into the World Trade Organization."

Kazakhstan has learned from China's SEZ experiences and adopted them into the construction of its national capital, Astana, which has become economic hub within a short period of three years, he said.

(People's Daily 11/12/2000)