Xi Jinping: Accelerate the construction of a strong domestic market, promote the optimization and upgrading of trade in goods, innovate the development mechanism of trade in services, expand the import of high-quality products, create a "Silk Road E-commerce" cooperation pioneer zone, build a national service trade innovation and development demonstration zone, and promote trade innovation and development, Promote high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road".
This passage is from the speech delivered by President Xi Jinping at the opening ceremony of the Fifth China International Import Expo on November 4, 2022.
The joint construction of the "Belt and Road" is an international public product provided by China for the development of the world, and an important practical platform for promoting the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind.
Since it was proposed in 2013, China has always adhered to the development concept of extensive consultation, joint construction and shared benefits, and actively expanded cooperation with co-construction countries. The construction of economic and trade exchanges and other fields has achieved positive results. It has been warmly welcomed by relevant countries and widely concerned by the international community.
In recent years, my country has continuously optimized the business environment, continuously lowered the entry threshold for foreign investment, and strived to promote the signing of high-standard economic and trade agreements with more countries and regions, and successively launched major exhibition platforms such as the China International Import Expo and the China International Fair for Trade in Services , actively expand the import of high-quality goods and services, promote the innovative development of service trade, and actively share development opportunities and achievements with countries around the world, including countries along the “Belt and Road”, which greatly enhances the sense of participation and gain of relevant countries.
By the end of 2021, my country has successively established trade unimpeded working groups with 17 countries, investment cooperation working groups with 46 countries and regions, bilateral e-commerce cooperation mechanisms with 23 countries, and trade in services with 14 countries. The cooperation mechanism provides an effective mechanism guarantee for deepening the economic and trade cooperation with the co-construction countries.
From 2013 to 2022, the average annual growth rate of imports and exports between my country and countries along the route is 8.6%.
In 2022, trade with countries along the route will continue to maintain rapid growth, with imports and exports reaching 13.83 trillion yuan, an increase of 19.4% over the previous year, 11.7 percentage points higher than the overall growth rate.
2023 is the tenth anniversary of the "Belt and Road" initiative.
In the face of the international situation full of turmoil and uncertainty, we must maintain strategic focus, unswervingly expand opening up, better practice the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, deepen policy communication and strategic alignment with co-construction countries, and enrich and improve cooperation mechanism.
We must make good use of major exhibition platforms such as the China International Import Expo, accelerate the exploration and construction of a national service trade innovation and development demonstration zone, further tap and release the potential of the national trade market for joint construction, steadily expand new areas of cooperation such as the digital economy and service trade, and deepen cross-border cooperation. Environmental industry chain and supply chain cooperation, and effectively promote the high-quality development of the "Belt and Road" at a higher starting point, higher level, and higher goals.
Special expert of this issue: Gong Piping National Development and Reform Commission Land Development and Regional Economic Research Institute