The Netherlands is a small Western European country with a population of less than 18 million, but it has generated a GDP of nearly a trillion dollars, and its economic strength is commendable. How did the Netherlands do it?What are its economic characteristics and advantages?How does it compare and cooperate with China's economy?
The characteristics of the Dutch economy can be summed up in three words: diversified, innovation-driven, and open. The Dutch economy has a diverse structure that covers agriculture, industry and services, with the service sector accounting for more than 70% of GDP and being the dominant sector of the Dutch economy.
The development of the Dutch economy depends on technological innovation and sustainable development, and the Netherlands has achieved an innovation-driven development model in the fields of agriculture, industry and services, especially in the fields of agriculture, electronics, chemical industry, water conservancy, shipbuilding and other fields of global leadership. The growth of the Dutch economy is also inseparable from openness and **, the Netherlands is the traditional "European gateway", with convenient maritime transportation conditions, highly developed water, land and air transportation network, becoming one of the most important commodity distribution centers in Europe.
The Netherlands is the world's second largest exporter of agricultural products and the second largest partner within the European Union, maintaining close economic ties with countries around the world.
The strengths of the Dutch economy can be summed up in three words: high efficiency, high quality and high added value. The efficiency of the Dutch economy is reflected in its maximum use of limited resources, for example, although the Dutch agriculture faces the challenge of limited land, through scientific and technological innovation and sustainable development strategies, it has achieved efficient agricultural production, and the agricultural output value per hectare is three times the EU average.
The high quality of the Dutch economy is reflected in its high standards and high requirements for products and services, for example, the food and beverage industry in the Netherlands is the largest sector of manufacturing in the Netherlands, and its products are known for their safety, hygiene, nutrition, and deliciousness, and the Dutch cheese, beer, chocolate, etc. are famous all over the world.
The high added value of the Dutch economy is reflected in its high innovation and high-end products and services, for example, the electronics and electrical industry in the Netherlands is the third largest sector of manufacturing in the Netherlands, and its products are known for their high-tech, high-precision and high-performance, and the Dutch lithography machine, auto parts, aviation technology, etc. occupy an important position in the global industrial chain.
The comparison and cooperation between the Dutch economy and the Chinese economy can be summed up in three words: strong complementarity, great potential and broad prospects. For example, the Netherlands is one of the world's major exporters of agricultural products, and at the same time is a global leader in the fields of environment, energy, electronic information, biology and materials, but the Netherlands has a limited domestic consumer market and needs to export to generate income
On the other hand, the Chinese population is large, the consumption is large, and the demand for agricultural products, environmental protection, energy and other high-tech is strong, which can provide a huge market for the Netherlands.
The Netherlands and China have extensive potential for cooperation in the economic field, which is reflected in the broad space for cooperation between the two sides in the fields of economy, investment and science and technology. For example, the Netherlands is China's second-largest partner within the EU, while China is the Netherlands' second-largest partner outside the EU. The value of the two countries has continued to grow over the past few years, reaching $78.4 billion in 2020 alone, a year-on-year increase of 16%.
As of August 2018, the Netherlands is regarded as an important destination for foreign investment and direct investment in China in the EU. The actual amount of Dutch investment in China amounted to $19 billion. On the other hand, at the end of 2017, the stock of Chinese direct investment in the Netherlands was US$18.5 billion.
For example, Dutch Prime Minister Rutte said during his visit to China in 2018 that the Netherlands supports China to play a greater role in international affairs, supports China's promotion of globalization and freedom, supports China's participation in the European integration process, and supports the conclusion of the China-EU investment agreement as soon as possible.
The Dutch economy is a miracle of a small country, which shows how a country can achieve efficient, high-quality, and high-value-added economic growth through a diversified, innovation-driven, and open development model.
The comparison and cooperation between the Dutch economy and the Chinese economy also shows how the two countries can achieve mutually beneficial and win-win economic development through a cooperative relationship with strong complementarity, great potential and broad prospects. For China and other countries, the experience and lessons of the Dutch economy are not only a reference for economic development, but also an important inspiration for seeking a sustainable development path in the context of globalization.