Current and potential research directions on the law of free trade zones: A bibliometric analysis (2004–2024)

This study aims to explore and identify key past research directions and propose future research avenues related to the legal framework of free trade zones (FTZs). The bibliometric data were collected through the Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) database systems. After merging the datasets and filtering English-language publications from 2004 to 2024, a total of 103 documents were retained. The research methodology employed in this study includes descriptive statistics and keyword co-occurrence analysis, supported by the VOSViewer software. The findings reveal that China is the leading country in publishing research on the legal aspects of FTZs. Past studies have formed four clusters corresponding to four fundamental research directions. They include (1) Arbitration and dispute resolution in China’s free trade areas; (2) The impact of international trade laws and regulations on risk assessment and tax systems in global trade, including FTZs; (3) The role of financial and governance regulations in pilot FTZs; and (4) The legal framework and impact of FTZs in Shanghai and special economic zones on international trade. This study contributes evidence showing that China is a pioneering country in researching, developing, and refining legal policies for free trade zones in order to enhance its impact on the global economy. AcknowledgmentsThe authors would like to thank the Editor-in-Chief and a reviewer for their helpful comments, which, in our view, have significantly improved the quality of the manuscript. This study is also the result of collaboration between researchers from the University of Law, Hue University, and Duy Tan University. The authors would like to thank both institutions for their support and facilitation in the publication of this research.