From Special Economic Zone to Free Trade Zone:Special Mission of China Free Trade Zones
（China Center for Special Economic Zone Research, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518060）
Abstract: From special economic zones to free trade zones is not only the basic content but also the specific embodiment of China Road, and what's more, it's the expansion with the advancement of time of China Road. As a new form of China's Special Economic Zones under the new historical conditions, China Free Trade Zone is neither the internationally accepted real FTA concept nor the full sense of FTZ con cept, but a concept of free trade zone with Chinese characteristics which is beyond FTZ on function and is different from FTA on rules. China Free Trade Zone is not a purely economic concept as well. The reform missions on it are much higher than the simple economic functions undertaken by it. Prior to carry and try is the“Chinese characteristics”of China Free Trade Zone, which is different from FTA and FTZ. Further improving the socialist market economic system, urging Chinese society towards open system from open policy, and promoting the transformation of government functions towards system arrangement from idea and thus to achieve a comprehensively deepening reform is the historical missions of China's Free Trade Zone.
Keywords: Special Economic Zone; Free Trade Zone; Institutional Arrangement; Reform and Opening-up