WTO與新經濟─對台澳雙邊關係的衝擊

Abstract

本文主旨在探討E-經濟相當成功的國家與地區的特徵暨基礎建設，所採用的是跨領域的宏觀經濟與政策問題的研究方法。新經濟顛覆了傳統的經濟理論。例如實物賣出後，出售者將不再擁有該實物，而賣出一項觀念，賣方仍可享有所有權，且可一而再，再而三地再賣出。知識被使用，但不會用盡。這與二百年前亞當史密斯所描述的以資源有限為基調的市場體系大相逕庭。傳統經濟理論假設由於大多數的工業在某一點會因單位成本增加而出現「報酬遞減（diminishing returns）」的效應，所以沒有一家公司可以壟斷市場。然而不斷增加的資訊產品（如軟體、書、電影、金融服務與網站）事實上已增加了報酬的回收。資訊產品的產出成本昂貴，但是複製則極為低廉。WTO與網際網路所帶動的新經濟將會相輔相成，使國家間的貿易與合作提升到另一個新境界。WTO促進自由貿易，而網際網路則提供在一個較少摩擦的WTO環境下進一步推動貿易所需的基礎建設。雖然網際網路有助發展，但並非成長的萬靈丹。開放市場、打破通訊壟斷以及改善教育也都是重要變數。再者，事實上資訊科技（information technology，簡稱IT）與全球化（globalization）關係密切。由於IT降低資訊與傳播的成本，所以IT有助於生產與資本市場的全球化。而全球化擴大了IT的經濟利益。因此，在資訊經濟裡政府的最重要角色或許是保持市場的開放，確保IT所提供的機會能獲得充分利用。自全球化倒退將會重創新經濟。此外，政府可扮演的另一個角色是鼓勵創新。最後，作者從co-opetition、clusters與virtual clusters三個模式來分析國家間的合作性競爭及其對澳台雙邊關係的適用性。作者建議兩國政府應共同努力發展出一個良好的產品貿易窗口，並點出生物科技、紅酒、運動員訓練與教育等四項產業是兩國的最佳合作機會。而在新經濟與WTO的時代，作者以為我國欲從強化澳台雙邊關係獲利就必須進一步發展我們的實力，並在實力的基礎下與澳洲合作使相互利益得以極大化。

In this paper, we study the characteristics and infrastructures of countries/regions that are relatively successful in the e-economy, by applying an interdisciplinary approach to macroeconomic and policy issues that separate the winners from the losers in the global competition among the riders of the e-wave. We also study and analyze the key issues in the formation of mutually beneficial alliances between countries. When we consider the point that more countries/regions are expected to join the WTO by the end of the year 2000, which should accelerate the opening of the doors for trade and the boosting of competition in all industries, the issues become even more complicated. How can two countries/regions benefit from their interaction in the era of the Internet? In this paper, we build a model of co-opetition (co-operation and competition, or collaborative competition) between countries/regions that show certain key complementarities and/or synergies. We use Australia and Taiwan to illustrate the points in our model. We also provide critical reviews of interdisciplinary literature, and form key hypotheses and observations by applying economic theory, case studies and country/region reports. The idea of applying syndication in education, co-opetition between countries and the virtual cluster concepts are original and are being further developed.