Port governance in China: a review of policies in an era of internationalizing port management practices

Port integration in China: Temporal pathways, spatial patterns and dynamics

“…(1) Government-driven modes: as previously defined, a port is an operational and political unit (Wang et al, 2004) with the port industry generally characterized by substantial governmental involvement (Pallis et al, 2008). Traditionally, governments take primary initiative for port development through a public port authority, thus playing a key role in port planning, investment and management, by focusing the provision of both the superstructure and infrastructure pertaining to loading/unloading, temporary storage and intra-port operations (Rodrigue, 2003;Pallis et al, 2008).…”

“…Traditionally, the port industry in China has fallen under the remit of highly centralized control, with direct intervention of the MOT via strict port regulations, associated with all port activities (Wang et al, 2004). The Port Law of 2003 essentially abolished dual leadership of ports, with the central government transferring all port management powers to local governments, resulting in numerous ′national ports′ being reassigned as ′provincial ports′ (Wang et al, 2004).…”

“…Furthermore, within the published literature, there exists a failure to effectively capture the highly specific and idiosyncratic nature of national and regional reform, let alone individual ports, particularly with respect to strategy effects and outcomes (Wang et al, 2004). The rapid development of ports in China has attracted the attention of a host of specialists for the purposes of tracking and interpretation (Han et al, 2002).…”

Port Governance Reforms in Diversified Institutional Frameworks: Generic Solutions, Implementation Asymmetries

“…Ports needed to re-position themselves in spatially expanded supply chains, blurred geographical monopolies, and increased proximity with established and emerging competitors (Notteboom, 2009a;Notteboom et al, 2009). This created forces of change of traditional structures characterized by bureaucratic (frequently inefficient) control of comprehensive public entities (Airriess, 2001a;Notteboom and Winkelmans, 2001;Wang et al, 2004).…”

“…While economic geographers gradually re-figure economic issues with relations and cultural terms, this is lacking from port geography's literature (Olivier and Slack,60 2006). Although studies on the effects of 'nesting' on private firm behaviours during port/terminal investments are available (Airriess, 2001b;Wang et al, 2004), similar studies on institutional legacies are found wanting. It is only recently that scholars (i.e.…”