China's Special Economic Zones at 30.

The article focuses on the performance of special economic zones (SEZs) in China on the 30th anniversary of their institution. It provides the historical context and comprehensive principle of the launching of the SEZ concept particularly in the divergent development courses of the five SEZs established in China in the 1980s. It examines the specific roles assigned to the SEZs based on their location and internal characteristics relative to intense commercial activity under the Chinese authority. The implication of the current global financial crises to the future economy of China is also explored.