The term "economic globalization" has not been universally defined. At present, the academic circles generally believe that the economies of all countries in the world tend to be globally integrated in terms of production, distribution and consumption, and the economies of all countries are intertwined, influenced and integrated with each other, and standardized economic behaviors and operating mechanisms have been established worldwide.
Economic globalization is a new stage of production socialization and economic internationalization.
1. the driving force of economic globalization
(1) The obstacles of the economic system have been gradually eliminated. With the continuous development of world economic integration, the open market mechanism has been recognized by most countries in the world, governments have gradually relaxed their control over the economy, tariff and non-tariff barriers in international trade have been decreasing, and a "borderless market" is forming.
(2) Science and technology are constantly improving. With the progress of science and technology and the wide application of information technology, the spatial distance of economic activities has been greatly shortened, eliminating the time difference and regional differences between different capital markets. The traditional geographical boundary between "country of origin" and "consumers" has lost its meaning. The circulation of goods, services, capital and information will be faster than in the past, and the "global village" economy will gradually become a reality.
(3) The rapid development of multinational corporations. By virtue of its unique advantages in capital, technology and management, multinational corporations have set up production bases and sales organizations around the world, established international business information networks, built a global R&D system, and participated in international economic cooperation and competition, which has become an important driving force for the development of economic globalization.
2. Characteristics of economic globalization
(1) Production internationalization. Economic globalization makes the factors of production flow freely around the world, and the economies of various countries have formed a situation of "you have me and I have you". Under the relatively perfect market economy system, transnational corporations have increasingly become the leading force in world economic activities, and commodity production links are distributed in different countries, and the economic dependence between countries has been significantly strengthened.
(2) Trade liberalization. From 65438 to 0995, the World Trade Organization (WTO) was established, which laid the foundation for free trade, gradually eliminated the obstacles to international trade, and the trade volume increased rapidly. At the same time, the framework of WTO multilateral trading system makes world trade more standardized and fair, which greatly promotes the development of global trade liberalization.
(3) Financial globalization. Finance is the core of modern economy, and economic globalization will inevitably lead to financial globalization. The outstanding performance of financial globalization is that countries have relaxed the restrictions on foreign financial institutions entering their own financial markets, consciously promoted financial liberalization, international capital flowed on a large scale, the international financial market flourished, and financial activities continued to expand and deepen on a global scale.
3. The development trend of economic globalization
(1) With the rapid development of high-tech industry and global information network, the pace of economic integration and international capital flow is accelerating, and the interdependence of national economies will be closer.
(2) The global business strategy of multinational corporations is more common, and the competition and merger among enterprises are increasingly fierce.
(3) Free trade has become the development direction of world trade, and the global commodity market has been gradually formed and improved.
(4) The national wealth of developing countries and developed countries is increasing day by day, but the imbalance of economic development is increasing and the gap between the rich and the poor between countries is widening.
(5) International coordination and cooperation have been further strengthened, and relevant international contracts and organizations have emerged.
Second, the advantages and disadvantages of economic globalization on China's economic development
Economic globalization is a "double-edged sword", which has both positive and negative aspects; This is both a new development opportunity and a severe challenge. As a developing country, China should be soberly aware that the development trend of economic globalization is unstoppable, and avoiding economic globalization can only lead to greater backwardness. We should correctly grasp the opportunities brought by economic globalization, avoid its unfavorable factors and risks to the maximum extent, and keep China's economy developing steadily and rapidly in the new century.
1. The favorable factors of economic globalization for China's economic development
(1) is conducive to the utilization of foreign capital. With the expansion of China's opening to the outside world, China has become the country that attracts the most foreign investment among developing China countries. In 2000, China used 40.7 billion US dollars of foreign capital, increased to 60.3 billion US dollars in 2005, and accumulated to 622.4 billion US dollars by the end of 2005 (Zhang et al., 2006), which greatly solved the capital bottleneck in China's economic development, realized the transformation from foreign borrowing to foreign direct investment, and effectively promoted China's rapid economic growth.
(2) It is conducive to expanding foreign trade. China's foreign trade has become an important growth point of the national economy. In the 1990s, China's foreign trade exports grew at an average annual rate of 14.9%. By 2004, the total import and export volume reached1154.8 billion US dollars, accounting for 6.2% of the world's total exports (Zhao Hua et al., 2006), making it the third largest trading country in the world.
(3) It is conducive to solving the employment problem of surplus labor. Our country has a large population and abundant labor force. The entry of foreign enterprises can effectively solve the employment problem of some surplus labor force. For example, in the southeast coastal areas of China, nearly 200 million rural laborers are directly engaged in foreign trade processing industry, which not only effectively solves the employment problem, but also promotes the development process of industrialization and rural urbanization in China to a certain extent.
(4) It is beneficial to establish a modern enterprise system. The entry of foreign capital and large multinational corporations is helpful to the transformation of traditional industrial structure and industrial competition, and plays an important role in promoting the establishment of modern corporate governance structure of state-owned enterprises in China at this stage. At the same time, through technical cooperation, the gap with developed countries in economy, technology and management can be shortened, and China's economic and technological competitiveness and creativity can be enhanced.
(5) It is conducive to promoting the reform and improvement of China's financial market, shortening the transition time from dual economy to modern economy, and accelerating the improvement of the socialist market economic system.
2. The unfavorable factors of economic globalization to China's economic development.
(1) Because foreign capital is mostly concentrated in areas and projects with developed economy, good infrastructure and high return and profit rate, it will cause unbalanced regional economic development in China. For example, by the end of 2004, China had actually utilized 562,654.38 billion US dollars of foreign capital, of which the eastern, central and western regions accounted for 86.25%, 965.438+06% and 4.59% respectively (Shang Yongsheng, 2006), and the eastern region absorbed much more foreign capital than the central and western regions.
(2) China's foreign trade export is mainly characterized by low-price competition and a large number of resource-based and labor-intensive products with low added value, but it has paid a heavy price at the expense of ecological environment and precious mineral resources.
(3) Monopolistic mergers and acquisitions of foreign capital and the technological and financial advantages of multinational corporations have greatly impacted national industry and agriculture and weakened the sustainable development of domestic industrial chain.
Third, China's economic development countermeasures and suggestions
The development goals of China's economy in the new century are: by 2020, the gross domestic product will quadruple compared with 2000, and a well-off society will be realized in an all-round way; Reach the level of moderately developed countries by 2050. We need to make unremitting efforts to achieve this goal. In the face of increasingly fierce economic globalization competition, China should focus on the following six aspects at present and in the future:
1. Establish China's national economic security system.
Our government must attach great importance to national economic security, establish a macroeconomic management system and a national economic security early warning index system under the guidance of the government, comprehensively study the development trend of economic globalization and the economic situation facing China, and put forward countermeasures to safeguard national economic sovereignty and ensure national economic security in time.
2. Improve China's socialist market economic system to adapt to economic globalization.
With the increasing marketization, commercialization, internationalization and socialization of China's economy, it is increasingly important and urgent to establish and improve the socialist market economic system. Therefore, we should intensify the reform of domestic economic system, break the monopoly situation in a series of state-owned monopoly fields, and comprehensively deal with the global economic integration competition; At the same time, further standardize and improve relevant supporting laws and regulations on finance, securities and investment, strengthen the functions of macro-control departments such as industry and commerce, taxation and technical supervision, and build a socialist market economic system with complete system, sound mechanism, unified opening and orderly competition.
3. Establish an international trade system with China characteristics.
In the face of economic globalization, China must further deepen the reform of foreign trade system, adhere to the WTO multilateral trading system as the framework, refer to international trade practices, improve the relevant laws and regulations in line with international standards, improve the management of import and export commodities, and establish a macro-control system for foreign trade and investment.
4. To study and formulate China's economic restructuring strategy in line with the development of economic globalization.
China should study and formulate economic development plans and industrial plans that are compatible with international economic rules, and intensify the adjustment of industrial structure, so as to change the mode of economic growth from the extensive one that focuses on resource input to the intensive one that focuses on improving the efficiency of resource allocation and utilization and embodies high-tech characteristics; At the same time, vigorously support national industries, give full play to existing industrial advantages and brand effects, and cultivate and develop multinational companies with international competitiveness.
5. Vigorously carry out scientific and technological innovation to provide technical support for the development of economic globalization.
The competition of contemporary global economy is the competition of national innovation ability, and the independent innovation ability has become the decisive factor of national competitiveness. China should attach great importance to the construction of national innovation system, give full play to the leading role of scientific and technological progress in economic development, keep track of the development trend of science and technology in the world, constantly improve the ability of scientific and technological development and innovation, popularize and apply scientific and technological innovation achievements, and constantly seek and create new economic growth points.
6. Actively carry out regional economic cooperation to meet economic globalization with regional economic integration.
Since the establishment of 1993, the EU integrated internal market has created millions of employment opportunities and hundreds of billions of wealth income for member countries, effectively resisting external economic shocks. The successful experience of EU integration has important reference significance for China to develop geo-economy. China's regional economic cooperation is progressing rapidly. At present, bilateral trade agreements or protocols have been signed with more than 65,438+050 countries and regions, double taxation avoidance agreements have been signed with more than 65,438+065,438+00 countries and regions, and nine free trade zones are under negotiation (Xing Jun, 2006). We should take this opportunity to strengthen economic cooperation with China Free Trade Area, China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Northeast Asia Free Trade Area and other relevant countries and regions in the near future to further promote regional economic integration. What impact does the rise of China have on the world? Many analysts say that China's fast-growing economic strength is changing the trade pattern of the whole world. Some people criticize China's trade and monetary policies as disturbing, but others believe that the rise of China is usually beneficial to industrialized countries and some backward areas in the world. As we all know, China has developed rapidly. In the past 20 years, China has maintained an average growth rate of 9.5%. According to some estimates, its economic strength is second only to that of the United States. China now has more than 1.3 trillion US dollars in foreign exchange reserves, the largest in the world. It is the third largest trading country in the world and still attracts the most foreign investment. As the number of employed people in China is increasing by 25 million every year, many analysts often regard the rise of China as the main driving force of the world economic development. China's increasing employment of so many people every year is equivalent to adding a moderately industrialized country to the world economy every year. Chevre, an economist at the Stanley Foundation, said that the rise of China has triggered a new global division of labor, with mixed results. Cheval said: "China's huge labor market has had a far-reaching impact on the change of trade pattern. We have seen changes in the sources of different products. We see that the United States, Europe and Japan are more concentrated in producing high-tech and very specialized products, which has brought great economic benefits to these countries. At the same time, we also see that many kinds of manufacturing industries and the production of products that are relatively low in the economic development chain have moved to China. What we are experiencing now is a chaotic process of economic transformation. Because it is difficult to know exactly the future development direction, it has caused some people's concerns. " In order to maintain the huge growth, China has to buy a lot of mineral products. China accounts for 5% of the global economy, but consumes 20% of aluminum and copper, about 30% of steel, iron ore and coal, and 45% of cement every year. Ronald McKinnon, an economist at Stanford University, said that China's huge appetite for resources has benefited many countries. Mckinnon said: "It has brought about great changes in East Asian countries. But its purchase of primary products in the global market has brought benefits to Latin America. Countries such as Chile, Argentina and Brazil are exporting a lot of raw materials to China. Therefore, we have seen that there has not been any economic crisis in Latin America recently. " Mckinnon added that China's wealth is also influencing the global lending model. He said that unlike the World Bank, Beijing has been providing a considerable amount of credit to developing countries without any political conditions. Mckinnon said: "Their loans are more politically neutral. They build roads, power plants and new ports there because they want raw materials. They don't ask about local government politics. This is why Africans don't mind China's investment, and investing in China is more comfortable than many Western governments. " However, the United States and Europe are critical of China's policy. Earlier this year, the US government complained to the World Trade Organization about China's export subsidies and piracy, and announced that it would impose tariffs of 10% to 20% on some China products. Washington has also stepped up pressure on Beijing to let its currency appreciate. They say that China's undervalued currency and low-cost labor give China an unfair advantage in international trade. By artificially lowering the value of RMB against the US dollar, China's exports are cheaper for American consumers, while American exports to China are more expensive, which makes the already worsening trade deficit of the United States worse and brings instability to the American economy. Some experts say that the value of the RMB against the US dollar should increase by at least 40%. Clyde Prestowitz, president of the Institute of Economic Strategy, a Washington think tank, said that the disturbing trade surplus between China and the United States reached $233 billion last year, accounting for almost 30% of the total US trade deficit. He pointed out that Beijing's policy is the same as that of most East Asian countries, including Japan. Prestowitz said: "Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan Province Province and Singapore all pursue export-oriented strategies. They all manage their currencies to keep them below their real value. They are all maintaining a high savings rate of 50%, investing heavily in export industries and relying heavily on exports to the United States to promote economic growth. " Chever of the Stanley Foundation believes that China's expanding trade surplus with the United States will eventually benefit the United States. Chevre said, "If a Thai company producing low-cost products exported to the United States moves its production base to China because the manufacturing cost in China is lower, it will not have a negative impact on the American market, because these jobs are not in the United States. But because products entering the United States are cheaper now, this is a good thing for American consumers. " Chevray said that when doing business with China, it is difficult to say who is the winner and who is the loser. Chevre said, "For example, when you talk about American companies or multinational companies that produce products in China, do you think China people have an advantage or the interests of a company have an advantage? If the United States benefits, will China continue to support our budget deficit or provide cheaper products to American consumers? Is this an advantage of the United States or an advantage of China? This is more complicated than who has the upper hand and who suffers. " The pollution loss is equivalent to 5.8% of GDP. A serious problem brought by the super-high-speed economic development in China is the environmental damage and pollution it brings to China and other countries in the world. Water pollution and lack of clean drinking water are some of the most serious problems facing China. Many canals, rivers and lakes in China are seriously polluted by agriculture, industry and life. It is estimated that 20% of China people live in heavily polluted areas. According to the calculation of China government, in 2004, the loss caused by pollution was $67 billion, equivalent to 3% of GDP. According to the statistics of the World Bank, the annual loss caused by pollution to China is equivalent to 5.8% of GDP. Nevertheless, many experts said that as the long-suppressed demand of China's huge population is gradually released, domestic demand will gradually increase, and China's economy will continue to maintain rapid growth in the coming decades.