Zhongxin Finance, January 25th (Wu Taogong Hongyu) What are the highlights of domestic consumption in 2021, what are the trends in consumption in 2022, will it be difficult to maintain high growth in foreign trade in 2022, and how to attract and make good use of foreign capital?

In response to these questions, the Ministry of Commerce responded one by one at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office on the 25th.

Consumption has become the first driving force of economic growth again 

　　Guo Tingting, director of the General Department of the Ministry of Commerce, said that in 2021, domestic consumption will gradually recover, and the total retail sales of consumer goods for the year will be 44.1 trillion yuan. Consumption will once again become the primary driving force for economic growth.

　　"The consumption of upgraded commodities has grown significantly, and the sales of new energy vehicles has increased by 1.6 times. The rapid development of new consumption, the 'Online New Year's Day' and 'Double Product Online Shopping Festival' has driven online retail sales of 1.6 trillion yuan. The sales of duty-free goods in Hainan's outlying islands increased by 83.1% "Guo Tingting said.

　　In addition, ice and snow consumption continued to rise.

The opening of the Beijing Winter Olympics is imminent, and various regions have set off a boom in ice and snow consumption, carrying out various forms of ice and snow consumption activities.

Some e-commerce platforms have more than doubled the sales of ski supplies.

Data map: Children are speeding in the snow with their feet on double boards.

Photo by Liang Ben

Foreign investment in China is generally expected to be good

　　In 2021, my country's foreign investment in RMB exceeded one trillion yuan for the first time, reaching 1,149.36 billion yuan, achieving double-digit growth.

　　"The investment liberalization and facilitation measures for open platforms, such as pilot free trade zones, free trade ports, and pilot demonstrations for the expansion and opening of the service industry, have continued to be introduced, which have become high places to attract foreign investment." said Chen Chunjiang, director of the Department of Foreign Investment Management of the Ministry of Commerce.

　　Chen Chunjiang introduced that foreign investment in China in 2022 is generally expected to be good.

The Ministry of Commerce will revise and expand the "Catalogue of Industries Encouraged for Foreign Investment", give full play to the effects of preferential policies such as land and taxation, and guide more foreign investment in advanced manufacturing, modern services, high-tech, green and low-carbon, digital economy and other fields as well as the central and western regions.

The customs officers will inspect the container on the spot.

Photo by Zheng Yingjun

Confidence to realize the stable opening of foreign trade in 2022

　　In response to the forecast that China's foreign trade will not maintain a high-speed growth trend in 2022, Li Xingqian, director of the Department of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Commerce, said that this is also a common concern of all sectors of society.

In general, on top of last year's base of US$6.05 trillion and a high-speed growth of 30%, this year's foreign trade situation is very severe, and the difficulty and pressure of stabilizing growth are unprecedented.

　　Li Xingqian said that from the perspective of demand, the growth of global external demand faces two uncertain factors; from the perspective of supply, the global industrial chain and supply chain faces two unstable factors.

　　“所以，这些企业表现出来的问题就是‘有单不敢接’‘增收不增利’。但我们有信心，实现外贸开门稳，从当前面临的形势出发，确定2022年为‘外贸巩固提升年’。”李兴乾称。

　　据介绍，下一步，商务部将实施跨周期调节稳外贸行动，市场多元化行动，外贸供应链畅通行动，外贸创新提质行动来保持全年外贸运行在合理区间。

资料图：市民选购商品。　九美旦增 摄

消费将继续保持恢复发展态势

　　商务部市场运行和消费促进司负责人徐兴锋提到，2022年消费总体将继续保持恢复发展的态势。

　　徐兴锋介绍，我国中等收入群体不断扩大，居民收入水平稳步提升，稳住了消费基础。扩大内需、促进消费等政策措施逐步落地见效，将会为消费恢复提供有力支撑。

　　2022年，商务部将提升传统消费能级；加快新型消费发展；促进城市消费升级；补齐乡村消费短板；办好消费促进活动。

　　“要推动老字号创新发展，促进品牌消费。倡导简约适度低碳的生活方式，促进绿色消费。”徐兴锋称。(完)