Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony of the 4th China International Import Expo and Hongqiao International Economic Forum and delivered a keynote speech via video.
On the evening of November 4, the opening ceremony of the 4th China International Import Expo and Hongqiao International Economic Forum was held in Shanghai. Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the State, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission will deliver a keynote speech via video.
Xi Jinping pointed out that 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. 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.
Xi Jinping pointed out that 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. 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.
Xi Jinping emphasized that 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 and continuously expanded its opening up, which has activated the surging spring tide of China’s development and has also activated the spring water of the world economy. 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 take responsibility and benefit the world. China’s development and progress in the past 20 years 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.
Xi Jinping emphasized that “seeing and knowing how to enter, and observing the past and knowing how to come.” For a country and a nation to be rejuvenated, 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.
Xi Jinping emphasized that China will unswervingly uphold true multilateralism. The multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core is the cornerstone of international trade. 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.
Xi Jinping emphasized that China will unswervingly share market opportunities with the world. China will pay more attention to expanding imports, promoting balanced development of trade, adding import trade promotion innovation demonstration zones, optimizing the list of cross-border e-commerce retail imports, promoting the processing of imported goods in border trade, and increasing 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.
Xi Jinping emphasized that China will unswervingly promote high-level opening up. China will further reduce the negative list of foreign investment access, orderly expand the opening of service industries such as telecommunications and medical care, revise and expand the “Catalogue of Industries Encouraging Foreign Investment”, and introduce a negative list of cross-border service trade in pilot free trade zones. China will deeply participate in international cooperation such as green and low-carbon, digital economy, and actively promote its accession to the “Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement” and the “Digital Economy Partnership Agreement.”
Xi Jinping emphasized that 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, APEC, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, promote the strengthening of discussions on trade and investment, digital economy, green and low-carbon issues, and support the globalization of key medical supplies such as vaccines. Fair distribution and unimpeded trade within the scope promote high-quality co-construction of the “Belt and Road”. 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.
Xi Jinping emphasized that “it’s hard to get up if you are alone, but it’s easy for everyone to follow.” 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!
