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Technology is of key importance to the growth of regional rms and economies. Research has shown the association between low technology development or take-up and regional disparities. Hence technology policy is moving closer to the heart of regional policies. European innovation programmes are intended to involve rms, large and small, in international technology research and development networks. The paper focuses on the involvement of Spanish rms in such programmes. Participation tends to be low if business R&D, presence of large rms, and the development of regional innovation systems are also low. Creation of R&D infrastructure through the Structural Funds has now to be prioritized at EU level and also de ne a new scheme of sectoral priorities in order to support R&D innovation activities in elds diverse from high-tech, if regions are to escape the 'low R&D trap'.

China has become a major player in world trade. Although it has not signed any trade agreements with the countries of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), China has been gaining ground as a supplier of goods, making vigorous inroads into this area. One of the dominant trends in economic integration has been the development of intra-industry trade, which has flourished in the nafta signatory countries. This paper focuses on the analysis of intra-industry trade in the context of this free trade area, where the production structure of the countries involved has changed significantly since trade liberalization, revealing the internationalization of production chains. Lastly, changes in the trade structure induced by the growing presence of China in the nafta region are captured. Trade within this area works like a radiated wheel, with the United States acting as the axis, while China, Canada and Mexico operate as the spokes.

China se ha convertido en un actor fundamental del comercio mundial. Aunque no ha firmado acuerdos comerciales con los países signatarios del tlcan, ha ganado terreno como proveedor de bienes logrando grandes avances en esa área. Una de las tendencias dominantes de la integración económica ha sido el desarrollo del comercio intraindustrial, que ha alcanzado altos niveles en los países signatarios del Tratado. En este artículo se analiza el comercio intraindustrial en esta zona de libre comercio, donde la estructura de producción de los países participantes ha cambiado significativamente desde la liberalización del comercio, revelando la internacionalización de las cadenas de producción. Finalmente, se presentan los cambios en la estructura comercial originados por la creciente presencia china en la región del tlcan, cuyo comercio tiene un esquema similar al de una rueda: los Estados Unidos de América como eje central y el Canadá, China y México como radios. PALABRAS CLAVE

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