RCEP背景下中老铁路对西部陆海新通道沿线的中小企业影响研究

Research on the Impact of the China-Laos Railway on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises along the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor under the RCEP

摘要: 随着《区域全面经济伙伴关系协定》(RCEP)的正式生效与中老昆万铁路的常态化运营，中老铁路已成为重塑中南半岛地缘经济格局、推动中国–东盟区域经济一体化的“黄金线路”。作为市场中最具活力的主体，中小企业(SMEs)在利用该通道参与跨境贸易时，仍面临“高通达性与高交易成本并存”的现实悖论。本文聚焦于RCEP框架下的中小企业微观视角，结合实地调研的数据与资料，系统探讨了中老铁路对贸易便利化的影响机制。研究首先梳理了RCEP规则红利、中老双边机制及国内政策支撑构成的制度体系。随后，通过对中老铁路货运效能与跨境贸易标准化流程(SOP)的分析发现，尽管铁路显著提升了物理运输时效，但“路快关慢”现象依然突出，通关及单证合规环节仍是制约便利化的关键瓶颈：效率摩擦、成本结构异化、基础设施短板、金融排斥与市场风险。本文进一步提出了针对性的路径优化对策。本研究不仅为评估重大跨国基建的微观经济效应提供了理论启示，也为推动中老铁路从“通道经济”向“产业经济”转型、构建更具韧性的中老经贸合作提供了参考。

Abstract: With the official entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the normalized operation of the China-Laos Railway, this railway has emerged as a “golden route” reshaping the geo-economic landscape of the Indo-Chinese Peninsula and driving China-ASEAN regional economic integration. As the most dynamic market entities, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) still face a practical paradox of “high accessibility coexisting with high transaction costs” when utilizing this corridor for cross-border trade. Focusing on the micro-perspective of SMEs under the RCEP framework and incorporating data and materials from field investigations, this paper systematically explores the impact mechanism of the China-Laos Railway on trade facilitation. The study first sorts out the institutional system composed of RCEP rule dividends, China-Laos bilateral mechanisms, and domestic policy support. Subsequently, through an analysis of the freight efficiency and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) of cross-border trade on the China-Laos Railway, it finds that although the railway has significantly improved physical transportation efficiency, the phenomenon of “fast rails but slow customs” remains prominent. Customs clearance and documentary compliance remain key bottlenecks restricting facilitation. Based on these findings, the article provides an in-depth analysis of the core pain points hindering SMEs from utilizing the corridor: institutional friction, alienation of cost structures, infrastructure shortcomings, financial exclusion, and market risks. Furthermore, the paper proposes targeted path optimization strategies. This research not only provides theoretical insights for evaluating the microeconomic effects of major transnational infrastructure but also serves as a reference for promoting the transformation of the China-Laos Railway from a “corridor economy” to an “industrial economy” and building a more resilient China-Laos community with a shared future.