3 - From Domestic Reform to Global Integration: Role Models of High-Growth Counties in China

Since its reform and opening-up, China has transitioned from an autarkic economy to global integration through a unique policy path, offering a development paradigm that balances local adaptability with international relevance for developing countries. By analyzing the phased characteristics of China’s reform and opening-up and its globalization strategies, this paper examines how high-growth counties and cities rapidly integrated into global value chains through the synergy of institutional innovation, industrial upgrading, and strategic openness. The study identifies three core dimensions of China’s experience: first, combining gradual market-oriented reforms with state-led resource allocation to foster endogenous growth; second, leveraging an “experimental policy piloting and scaling” mechanism to balance reform risks and efficiency; and third, reshaping the international division of labor and expanding global influence through platforms like the Belt and Road Initiative. The development practices of China’s county-level cities provide a “policy toolkit” for emerging economies, establishing a new analytical framework to understand underdeveloped economies’ transformation in the era of globalization. This research highlights the interplay between institutional adaptability, market vitality, and global engagement as critical drivers for sustainable development, offering insights into equitable participation in global governance.

Paper co-authored with: Liang Liu, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences