许多国家都将发展经济开发区作为一种政策工具，来提高经济增长、技术创新和增加出口和就业。1980年以来，中国政府成立了十多种经济开发区；每一种开发区，都结合了中央政府出台的优惠政策，以及为吸引商业投资而料体裁衣的具体政策。
本文发现经济开发区占据了中国工业产值、增值、出口的大量份额，并且吸引了大量外商直接投资（FDI）。经济开发区产值的增长为中国经济发展做出了突出贡献。通过对中国经济开发区历史数据和政策的系统回顾，文章为这些开发区的发展道路创造了一种独特的分类系统，并且指出了四种不同的发展阶段。
本文还采用了五十多个经济开发区及其承办城市的统计数据，并通过差分方法分析了对受到2008年中国企业所得税发变化影响的开发区内外商直接投资。文章发现，2008年税法改革后，相对于承办城市的其他地区，进入经济开发区的外商直接投资少了10—14%。结果还会因跨界区域而不同。
通过案例分析，本文发现经济开发区已经能够部分抵消2008年税收政策变化的影响。广州经济开发区已经采取了财政激励的政策来发展科技、吸引人才，以此减轻国家取消对开发区内公司优惠税收待遇政策的影响。这其中许多政策都是成功的（比如说引进的外国专家数），但是广州经济开发区人仍然面对这来自其他开发区的挑战。
这些发现为决策者提供了中国的经验教训，以及如何将开发区作为一个促进经济产量和出口的成功手段。开发区成熟后，政府也许会相应缩减相关优惠政策。本文以政策建议作为结语，认为除了提供的一揽子激励计划，开发区管理也许应当考虑到保持经济增长。
（第一智库网初步翻译，仅供参考）
Economic development zones (EDZs) are employed by many countries as policy instruments to foster economic growth and technological innovation and increase exports and employment. Since the 1980s, the Chinese government has established more than 10 types of EDZs; each type employs a combination of preferential policies set by the central government and zone specific policies tailored to attract businesses and investors.
This dissertation finds that EDZs have generated a substantial share of China""""s industrial output, value added, exports and attracted large share of foreign direct investment (FDI). Increases in these outputs from EDZs have contributed substantially to China""""s economic growth. Based on a systematic review of the historical data and policies for EDZs in China, this study creates a unique classification system for the development path of these zones and identified four distinct phases.
The dissertation also employs data from over 50 ETDZs and their host cities and a difference-in-differences (DID) model to analyze the impact on foreign direct investment in the zones of China""""s 2008 change in corporate income tax law. It finds that after the 2008 tax reform 10-14 percent less FDI flowed into the zones relative to the other areas in their host cities. The results differ to some extent across zones.
Using a case study approach, this dissertation finds that EDZs have been able to partially offset the effects of the 2008 change in tax policy. Guangzhou Development District (GDD) has adopted policies providing financial incentives, to foster S&T, and to attract talent to mitigate the effects of the national policy change ending favorable tax treatment for companies located in zones. Many of these policies were successful (e.g. the number of expatriate experts attracted), but GDD still faces competition from other zones.
These findings provide policy makers with lessons learned from China and ways to use zones as a successful tool to accelerate growth in economic output and exports. As the zones mature, governments may wish to scale back the preferential policies provided by these zones. The dissertation concludes with policy recommendations that the zone management may consider to sustain growth besides the incentive packages they offer.
原文链接：http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/rgs_dissertations/RGSD300/RGSD320/RAND_RGSD320.pdf
