Authoritative Interview丨Activate the "Main Engine" of Consumption to Stabilize the Basic Market of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment

Authoritative Interview丨Activate the "Main Engine" of Consumption and Stabilize the Basic Market of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment——Interview with Sheng Qiuping, Member of the Party Leadership Group and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Commerce

　　Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, May 6th.

　　Xinhua News Agency reporters Xie Xiyao and Wang Yuxiao

　　Since the beginning of this year, consumption has continued to be the No. 1 driving force for economic growth, and both foreign trade and foreign investment have achieved a "stable start" with double-digit growth.

However, affected by the complex international environment and the domestic epidemic, the foundation for my country's consumption recovery is not yet solid, and foreign trade and foreign-invested enterprises are under pressure.

　　The recent Politburo meeting of the CPC Central Committee proposed that "the role of consumption in driving the economic cycle should be brought into play" and "the fundamentals of foreign trade and foreign investment should be stabilized".

How to activate the consumption "main engine"?

How to ensure the steady growth of foreign trade and foreign investment?

Sheng Qiuping, member of the party group and vice minister of the Ministry of Commerce, was interviewed by a reporter from Xinhua News Agency.

Promoting consumption: making a good "combination punch" in five aspects

　　Q: Under the epidemic, my country's consumption is facing many constraints. How to promote consumption?

　　A: In the first quarter, my country's final consumption expenditure contributed 69.4% to economic growth, and consumption was still the first driving force for economic development.

In general, the characteristics of my country's consumption of strong resilience and sufficient potential have not changed, and the fundamentals of long-term improvement in consumption development have not changed.

　　During the "May 1st" holiday just past, we monitored that the sales of green smart home appliances on key e-commerce platforms increased by more than 40%, and home fitness equipment increased by more than 20%; local outings and rural tours were favored, and sales of outdoor products increased significantly; the market Sufficient supply and stable price.

　　In order to further unleash the potential of consumption and promote the continuous recovery of consumption, the General Office of the State Council recently issued 20 policies and measures to promote consumption.

We will work with relevant departments to focus on the following five areas:

　　Strengthen traditional consumption.

Traditional consumption such as automobiles, home appliances, furniture, and catering is the mainstay, accounting for about a quarter of the total retail sales.

We will deepen reforms in the field of automobile circulation, support the accelerated development of new energy vehicles, expand the circulation of used cars, and encourage local governments to carry out green and smart home appliances to the countryside and trade in old ones for new ones.

Cooperate with relevant departments to implement the relief policy for the catering industry, and promote the timely introduction of supporting measures by local governments.

　　Accelerate the development of emerging consumption.

Emerging consumption is an important engine, and online retail sales of physical goods account for nearly a quarter of the total retail sales.

We will accelerate the organic integration of online and offline consumption, encourage the development of new formats, new models and new scenarios, and foster and expand emerging consumption such as customization, experience, intelligence, and fashion.

Support the innovation and development of time-honored brands, and successfully hold exhibitions such as the China International Import Expo and Consumer Expo.

　　Efforts will be made to increase urban consumption.

The urban consumption volume is large and the radiation driving effect is strong. Last year, the retail sales of urban consumer goods accounted for 86.6% of the total retail sales.

We will speed up the cultivation and construction of international consumption center cities, promote the high-quality development of pedestrian streets, and carry out demonstration and creation of smart business districts and smart stores.

According to the principle of what is missing and what is needed, speed up the construction of a quarter-hour convenient living circle.

　　Actively expand rural consumption.

Last year, the retail sales of rural consumer goods accounted for 13.4% of the total retail sales, and there is still great potential for development.

We will speed up the improvement of the county-level commercial system, focusing on the upward movement of agricultural products and the sinking of supply chains, logistics distribution and commodity services.

　　Carefully organize consumer promotion activities.

Under the premise of strict epidemic prevention and control, organize and carry out activities such as the National Consumption Promotion Month and the International Consumption Season, and guide localities to carry out consumption promotion activities with rich content and various forms.

Stabilize foreign trade: protect, grasp, strengthen, promote and increase

　　Q: At present, global demand is weakening, the external environment for my country's foreign trade development is tightening, and the growth momentum is under great pressure.

How do you view the foreign trade situation this year?

What other actions will be taken?

　　A: In the first quarter, foreign trade showed strong resilience, with a stable start and steady progress.

First, the scale reached a new high, with the total import and export of goods in RMB increasing by 10.7%; second, the structure was more optimized, and the proportion of emerging market exports and private enterprises’ exports increased; third, the industrial foundation was more solid, and the proportion of general trade exports increased; fourth New progress has been made in high-quality development. The scale of cross-border e-commerce import and export reached 434.5 billion yuan, and the export value of electric vehicles increased by 244.6%; fifth, service trade grew rapidly.

　　The good start of foreign trade in the first quarter is inseparable from the continuous efforts of a series of relief policies to help enterprises and the active actions of the majority of foreign trade market players.

　　Since the beginning of this year, support for export tax rebates and export credit insurance has been further strengthened. In the first quarter, the underwriting amount of short-term insurance increased by 15.8%, supporting 113,000 small and micro enterprises. Smoothed the "white list" of foreign trade enterprises, and enterprises with actual import and export performance in the first quarter increased by 5.7% year-on-year; accelerated the development of new formats and models of foreign trade, and set up 27 new cross-border e-commerce comprehensive test areas; helped enterprises to develop markets and successfully held the 131st session The Canton Fair guides enterprises to make good use of the free trade agreements that have been negotiated and signed.

　　At present, foreign trade development challenges and opportunities coexist.

From the perspective of challenges, the international economic recovery is fragile and weak, the monetary policies of major economies are shrinking and inflation is intensifying, the industrial chain and supply chain are not smooth, the price of raw materials is high, and the operating pressure of enterprises is rising.

From the perspective of opportunities, my country's foreign trade industry has a solid foundation, and the long-term positive fundamentals have not changed.

　　In the next step, we will thoroughly implement the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, pay close attention to changes in the situation, and focus on the following tasks:

　　Keep smooth.

Guarantee the stability of production and circulation in the field of foreign trade, determine the list of key foreign trade enterprises and provide guarantees in terms of production, logistics and employment, and solve the practical difficulties of key foreign trade enterprises with "one enterprise, one policy".

　　Grab an order.

Focus on securing orders and stabilizing the import and export of key industries and labor-intensive industries.

Support small, medium and micro enterprises to participate in overseas exhibitions, guide enterprises to make good use of free trade agreements, and make good use of export credit insurance policies.

　　Strong support.

Increase fiscal, taxation and financial support, increase credit to small, medium and micro foreign trade enterprises, promote the expansion of policy financing, improve foreign trade enterprises' ability to deal with exchange rate risks, and actively and steadily promote RMB cross-border trade settlement.

　　Promote innovation.

Encourage the use of new technologies and new models, and accelerate the expansion of new business formats and models such as cross-border e-commerce.

Focus on promoting the innovative development of service trade, formulate a national version of the negative list of cross-border service trade, build a national service trade innovation and development demonstration zone, expand and strengthen digital services, specialty services and other export bases, and give full play to the role of exhibition platforms such as the Service Trade Fair.

　　Power up.

Promote the high-quality development of foreign trade transformation and upgrading bases, and vigorously develop digital trade and green trade.

Give play to the leading role of large-scale backbone foreign trade enterprises, and promote small and medium-sized enterprises to take the road of "specialization, specialization, specialization and innovation".

Encourage the development of products of the same line, same standard and quality, and promote the integration of domestic and foreign trade.

Stabilizing Foreign Investment: Responding to Corporate Appeals to Provide More Opportunities

　　Q: What measures have you taken to deal with the impact of the recent epidemic on foreign-funded enterprises?

What new opportunities will there be for foreign investment in China?

　　A: In response to the impact of the recent epidemic on the production and operation of various market entities including foreign-funded enterprises, the Ministry of Commerce has responded positively, focusing on helping enterprises to relieve their difficulties from two aspects:

　　On the one hand, to ensure smooth supply and stable production and operation.

In response to the common problems of enterprises in logistics and transportation, raw material supply, etc., we have worked with relevant departments and localities to launch targeted measures in smoothing transportation channels, optimizing epidemic prevention and control, organizing emergency material transfer, and ensuring the supply of key materials. The company is operating normally.

　　On the other hand, solve problems and provide better services to promote the resumption of work and production.

Efforts will be made to give full play to the foreign trade and foreign investment coordination mechanism and the role of special classes for key foreign investment projects, and promote solutions on a case-by-case basis with "one enterprise, one policy".

　　In the long run, the fundamentals of my country's economic development continue to improve, and the advantages of comprehensive investment attraction are still outstanding. The open Chinese market will provide more opportunities for the development of enterprises in various countries:

　　market opportunity.

With a population of more than 1.4 billion and a middle-income group of over 400 million, the size and growth potential of the consumer market will continue to be released.

　　Open opportunities.

my country insists on expanding high-level opening to the outside world, continues to reduce restrictions on foreign investment access, revises the "Catalogue of Industries Encouraged for Foreign Investment", implements opening-up measures in the fields of finance and automobiles, relaxes the conditions for foreign investors to invest in listed companies strategically, and has a wider space for foreign investment.

　　Industrial opportunities.

my country has a complete industrial system and industrial supporting facilities. High-end manufacturing, energy conservation and environmental protection, green development, and digital economy are booming, and industrial supporting capabilities will be further enhanced.

　　environmental opportunities.

From the perspective of the hard environment, my country's ports, airports, highways and other facilities are at the forefront of the world, and we will comprehensively strengthen infrastructure construction, especially new infrastructure construction.

From the perspective of soft environment, China will continue to optimize the business environment and create better conditions for the development of foreign-funded enterprises.

　　We believe that no far-sighted multinational company will miss the opportunity to develop business in China.