Chinanews.com, December 3, "The Ministry of Commerce will, in accordance with the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, give the Pilot Free Trade Zone greater reform autonomy, increase the pressure test of opening up, and pay close attention to the implementation of the reform pilot tasks. Form more reproducible and popularized institutional innovation results, promote and support the high-quality development of the pilot free trade zone, and take the lead in building a new development pattern." Gao Feng, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce, said on the 3rd.
Data map: Citizens conduct consultation services with volunteers at the Administrative Service Center of China (Zhejiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Zhang Yin
At the regular press conference of the Ministry of Commerce held on the afternoon of the 3rd, Gao Feng said that since the beginning of this year, the respective pilot trade zones have actively overcome the impact of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, continue to reform and innovate, and explore boldly, and the business environment continues to optimize, which effectively stimulates market vitality. Especially in stabilizing foreign trade and foreign investment.
From January to October this year, the total import and export volume of the first 18 pilot free trade zones reached 3.8 trillion yuan, accounting for 14.8% of the country. Among them, the Zhejiang, Henan, and Sichuan pilot free trade zones grew rapidly, with imports and exports increasing by 80.5 year-on-year respectively. %, 52.9% and 38.3%.
The first 18 pilot free trade zones actually utilized foreign investment of RMB 131.01 billion, accounting for 16.4% of the country. Among them, the Hainan, Fujian, and Shanghai pilot free trade zones grew significantly, with actual utilization of foreign capital increasing by 49.8%, 46.5%, and 39.4% year-on-year respectively.
Gao Feng said that in the past seven years, the pilot free trade zone has effectively played the role of comprehensively deepening reforms and expanding opening-up test fields, forming a total of 260 reform pilot experiences to be replicated across the country, forming a good situation of sharing reform dividends and opening up results.
In the next step, the Ministry of Commerce will work with relevant departments, in accordance with the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, to give the Pilot Free Trade Zone greater reform autonomy, increase the pressure test of opening to the outside world, pay close attention to the implementation of the reform pilot tasks, and form more replicable possibilities. The promoted institutional innovation results promote and support the high-quality development of the pilot free trade zone, and are at the forefront of building a new development pattern.