Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, November 4th
Let the open spring breeze warm the world
——Keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 4th China International Import Expo
(November 4, 2021)
Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China
Dear heads of state and government,
Dear heads of international organizations,
Dear heads of delegations,
ladies and gentlemen,
Ladies and gentlemen, friends:
Hello everyone!
I am very happy to meet you in the "cloud" on the occasion of the opening of the 4th China International Import Expo.
First of all, on behalf of the Chinese government and the Chinese people, and in my own name, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all the guests!
To all old and new friends, I would like to express my sincere greetings and best wishes!
China has always believed in words and resolute in deeds.
The opening-up measures that I announced at the third CIIE have been basically implemented.
The Hainan Free Trade Port’s cross-border service trade negative list has been released, the reform and innovation of the pilot free trade zone have been continuously promoted, foreign investment access has continued to relax, the business environment has continued to improve, the China-EU investment agreement negotiations have been completed, and the regional comprehensive economic partnership agreement has been approved in China first Finish.
China has overcome the impact of the new crown pneumonia epidemic and promoted the innovative development of foreign trade. It was the only major economy in the world that achieved positive growth in trade in goods last year. It has made important contributions to ensuring the stability of the global industrial chain supply chain and promoting the recovery of the world economy.
Ladies, gentlemen, friends!
At present, a century of change in the world is intertwined with the epidemic of the century, unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise, and economic globalization is facing a countercurrent.
Relevant research shows that in the past 10 years, the "World Open Index" has been declining and the global consensus on openness has weakened. This deserves great attention.
Traveling against the current, if you don't advance, you will retreat.
We must grasp the general trend of economic globalization, support countries around the world in opening up, oppose unilateralism and protectionism, and push mankind towards a better future.
Openness is a distinctive mark of contemporary China.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of China's accession to the World Trade Organization.
Over the past 20 years, China has fully fulfilled its WTO commitments. China’s overall tariff level has dropped from 15.3% to 7.4%, which is lower than the 9.8% WTO commitments. The Chinese central government has cleaned up more than 2,300 laws and regulations, and local governments have cleaned up more than 190,000 items, stimulating the market. And social vitality.
Since the outbreak of the new crown pneumonia, China has provided the international community with about 350 billion masks, more than 4 billion protective clothing, more than 6 billion test kits for people, and more than 1.6 billion doses of vaccines, actively promoting international anti-epidemic cooperation and supporting development The country exempts vaccine intellectual property rights and uses practical actions to fulfill its commitments and demonstrate responsibility.
Over the past 20 years, China’s economic aggregate has risen from sixth to second in the world, trade in goods has risen from sixth to first in the world, and trade in services has risen from eleventh to second in the world, and the use of foreign capital has remained stable in development. China ranks first, with foreign direct investment rising from the 26th in the world to the first.
These 20 years have been 20 years for China to deepen reforms and fully open up, 20 years for China to seize opportunities and meet challenges, and 20 years for China to take the initiative to shoulder its responsibilities and benefit the world.
Since joining the World Trade Organization, China has continued to expand and open up, which has activated the surging tide of China's development, and has also activated the spring water of the world economy.
China's development and progress in the past 20 years since joining the World Trade Organization is the result of the Chinese people's hard work and tenacious struggle under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China. It is also the result of China's initiative to strengthen international cooperation and practice mutual benefit and win-win results.
Here, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all people from all walks of life at home and abroad who participated in and witnessed this historical process and supported China's open development!
Ladies, gentlemen, friends!
"Seeing and knowing how to enter, and viewing the past to know how to come." To rejuvenate a country and a nation, it must advance in the logic of historical advancement and develop in the trend of the development of the times.
China's determination to expand high-level opening up will not change, its determination to share development opportunities with the world will not change, and its determination to promote economic globalization toward a more open, inclusive, inclusive, balanced, and win-win direction will not change.
First, China will unswervingly uphold true multilateralism.
The multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core is the cornerstone of international trade.
Currently, the multilateral trading system faces many challenges.
China supports the development of the World Trade Organization reform in the right direction, supports the inclusive development of the multilateral trading system, and supports the legitimate rights and interests of developing members.
China will actively and openly participate in negotiations on topics such as digital economy, trade and environment, industrial subsidies, and state-owned enterprises, maintain its status as the main channel for international rule-making of the multilateral trading system, and maintain the stability of the global industrial chain and supply chain.
Second, China will unswervingly share market opportunities with the world.
With a population of more than 1.4 billion and a middle-income group of more than 400 million, China imports about US$2.5 trillion in goods and services each year, and the market is huge.
China will pay more attention to the expansion of imports and promote the balanced development of trade.
China will set up an import trade promotion innovation demonstration zone, optimize the list of cross-border e-commerce retail imports, promote the on-site processing of imported goods in border trade, and increase imports from neighboring countries.
China will promote the integration of domestic and foreign trade, accelerate the construction of an international consumption center city, develop "Silk Road E-commerce", build a modern logistics system, and improve cross-border logistics capabilities.
Third, China will unswervingly promote high-level opening up.
China will further reduce the negative list of foreign investment access, and orderly expand the opening up of service industries such as telecommunications and medical treatment.
China will revise and expand the "Catalogue of Industries Encouraging Foreign Investment" to guide more foreign capital to invest in advanced manufacturing, modern service industries, high-tech, energy conservation and environmental protection, and in the central, western and northeastern regions of China.
China will conduct a high-level opening stress test in the pilot free trade zone and the Hainan Free Trade Port, and issue a negative list of cross-border service trade in the pilot free trade zone.
China will deeply participate in international cooperation such as green, low-carbon and digital economy, and actively promote its accession to the "Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement" and the "Digital Economy Partnership Agreement."
Fourth, China will unswervingly safeguard the common interests of the world.
China will actively participate in the cooperation of mechanisms such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the Group of Twenty, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and promote discussions on issues such as strengthening trade and investment, digital economy, and green and low-carbon fields.
China will support the fair distribution and unimpeded trade of key medical supplies such as vaccines on a global scale.
China will promote high-quality co-construction of the “Belt and Road” so that more countries and people will obtain development opportunities and benefits.
China will actively participate in tackling climate change, maintaining global food security and energy security, and continue to provide more assistance to other developing countries within the framework of South-South cooperation.
Ladies, gentlemen, friends!
"It's hard to get up alone, but it's easy for everyone." The new crown pneumonia epidemic has not cleared, and the world economic recovery has a bumpy road ahead. People of all countries need to help each other and overcome the difficulties together.
China is willing to work with other countries to build an open world economy and let the spring breeze of openness warm the world!
thank you all.