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International pivotal ports refer to those major ports that are located on major international shipping routes and are noted for high efficiency, low cost and large freight-handling capacities. One important feature of such ports is that the volumes of international transit freight they handle are large and account for a high proportion of all the freight they handle. At a time when economic globalization is constantly deepening, international pivotal ports are playing an increasingly important role in enhancing the international competitiveness of a regional economy. Therefore, the governments of some countries and regions have taken effective measures to develop their international pivotal ports. In East Asia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Pusan and Kaohsiung have become the world''s four largest container ports. Besides, competition is also very intense among other major ports in East Asia. 　　In the past two decades of reform and opening up, China has become the sixth largest trade country in the world. Accordingly, its ports also scored tangible development. As the development of China''s ports is mainly attributed to the development of its own trade, they have not become international pivotal ports. One striking feature is that international transit freight still accounts for a very low proportion of the freight handled by Chinese ports. International transit freight through Hong Kong, Singapore and Kaohsiung respectively accounts for 40 percent, 70 percent and 70 percent of the total volumes of freight they handle. On the other hand, international transit business accounts for only 0.65 percent of the Yantian Port in Shenzhen. Therefore, in face of an increasingly intense international competition, developing international pivotal ports is of strategic importance to China. 　　First, developing international pivotal ports is a requirement of increasing China''s export competitiveness. China has become the world''s sixth largest export country, and the competitive advantage in cost and price will continue to be the main competitiveness of China''s export for a considerably long period of time to come. And higher efficiency of port handling constitutes an important part of the lower cost of export products. Investigations indicate that Yantian Port was mainly selected as the port of exit for the containers in the region of the Pearl River delta, with the cost for each container lowering more than 200 U.S. dollars than selecting Hong Kong as the port of exit. Therefore, it helps increase the competitiveness of China''s export products. However, as the efficiency of domestic ports in customs clearance is not high, many enterprises still choose to export directly through Hong Kong. In addition, as most of this region''s export is in the form of processing trade, the cost of import has a direct impact on the competitiveness of export. When 85-90 percent of Guangdong''s import is through Hong Kong, higher import cost also weakens the competitiveness of the region''s export. In addition, the