外文翻译评价服务贸易自由化对发展中国家的利益.docVIP

外文翻译--评价服务贸易自由化对发展中国家的利益 eveloping Countries of Liberalization in Services Trade Nature of Services The paper begins by characterizing services as a majority of activity for most OECD economies as measured by employment, and by value added originating , and a smaller but still large portion of activity for poorer developing countries. It suggests that so-called core services can best be thought of see Melvin, 1989 as relating to intermediation through time banking, insurance or space telecoms, transportation, retailing, wholesaling , with a wide range of diverse additional service items making up the balance of what most people refer as Services tourism, consulting services, government services, utilities . This diverse range of activities is typically treated in quantitative studies as a single homogeneous entity, frequently labeled as services for analytical convenience, when in fact its heterogeneity suggests a different treatment for each. This heterogeneity is, in my view, key to better understanding how services trade liberalization could affect poorer countries. Impacts of Liberalization on Poorer Countries There is a general presumption in the poorer countries that they will lose from global services trade liberalization since their domestic service industries are inefficient and non-competitive. This view is despite the arguments from economists as to the gains to domestic consumers from lower prices and the joint benefits which accrue to both exporting and importing countries from exploiting comparative advantage and improved market access opportunities abroad. It is also despite the commonly held view that the production of many services are labor intensive, which economists believe should be the source of comparative advantage for poorer developing countries in services provision. There unfortunately appear to be few if any studies of the relative inefficiency of local versus Foreign Service providers in developing country service markets whic