Good morning, dear reporters! Thank you for your participation in the briefing on the 7th meeting of BRICs economic and trade ministers. First of all, please allow me to introduce to you the issuer of today's media briefing, Mr. Wang Shouwen, Vice Minister of Commerce, and Mr. Zhang Shaogang, Director General of the Department of International Trade and Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Commerce. I am the host of today's briefing, Gao Feng, Deputy Director General of the General Office of the Ministry of Commerce.

[Gao Feng]: meeting of BRICs leaders is one of the most important diplomatic activities held in China this year. In order to well prepare for the economic and trade affairs for such meeting, the Ministry of Commerce will host the 7th meeting of the BRICs economic and trade ministers on August 1-2 in Shanghai. Today, Vice Minister Wang Shouwen will focus on the relevant aspects of BRICs economic and trade cooperation and the relevant issues and outcomes of the meeting of the BRICs economic and trade ministers. After that, Vice Minister Wang Shouwen will take the questions you are concerned, and specific situations associated will be added by the Director General Zhang Shaogang.

Now, we would like to invite Vice Minister Wang Shouwen to introduce the relevant situation.

[Wang Shouwen]: ladies and gentlemen,

Dear reporters!

Hi! I'm glad to meet you here.

This year, China, as a presidency of the BRICs, will hold the 9th meeting of leaders in Xiamen on September 3-5. The Xiamen meeting aims to deepen the BRICS partnership and open up a brighter future, and focuses on the cooperation in terms of deepening pragmatic cooperation, strengthening global governance, conducting cultural exchanges, promoting the construction of mechanisms and others.

To well prepare for the economic and trade affairs for such meeting to be held in Xiamen, the Ministry of Commerce will host the 7th meeting of the BRICs economic and trade ministers on August 1-2 in Shanghai and hold the 3rd CGETI meeting on July 30-31 this year in the same place. By then, the ministers in charge of economic and trade affairs of the BRICS and the heads of relevant international organizations will attend the meeting. After the meeting, China will hold a press conference to introduce the results of the meeting and all the media friends are invited to attend it.

The BRICs institutional cooperation began in 2006, and after that, the BRICs cooperation has been deepening and obtained solid and fruitful achievements. It has become a model of cooperation between developing countries and emerging market countries. In the past 10 years, the proportion of the BRICs economy accounted for 23% of the global economy from 12%; that of total trade rose from 11% to 16% and that of the investment in foreign countries grew from 7% to 12% and the contribution to the world economic growth rate reached 50%.

Trade and investment are important engines of economic growth in BRICs countries. The natural endowments and comparative advantages of BRICs are different, and the prospects for economic and trade cooperation are broad. In 2016, the BRICs economy accounted for 23% of the world's total, but trade, foreign investment and foreign investment accounted for only 16%, 16% and 12% of the world total respectively. These data indicate that BRICs cooperation has great potential both in the field of trade and investment.

[Wang Shouwen]: this meeting of economic and trade ministers is the first meeting of economic and trade ministers since the BRICs cooperation entered the second "Golden Decade", and therefore bears an important task of "connecting the past and the future" and is of great significance. We look forward to via this meeting working together with the members to solidly carry out the economic and trade achievements of the meeting of the BRICs leaders, actively building BRICs integrated market and accelerating the economic and trade cooperation of BRICs in terms of mechanism, system and pragmatism, so as to inject new impetus to world economic growth. For the topics and outcomes of this meeting, I would like to highlight the following:

When it comes to the promotion of BRICs trade development, global trade at present picks up but downside risks remain, in which case, BRICs need to take joint and comprehensive actions in tackling the problem, to create a good environment for trade, consolidate the positive momentum and inject new growth drivers. We look forward to working with members to discuss the following topics at this meeting: firstly, explore the establishment of the BRICs demonstration electronic port network, strengthen cooperation in the "single window" and other fields and enhance trade facilitation and interoperability levels; secondly, establish a roadmap of the BRICs cooperation in trade in services and centering on the key areas determined by the leaders at the GOA meeting, launch comprehensively cooperation in information exchange, capacity building and other areas to jointly explore new impetus to the trade development; thirdly, strengthen cooperation in the field of e-commerce, improve cooperation mechanisms, deepen public-private dialogue, build a good business environment, and jointly seize new opportunities for trade growth and fourthly, to formulate the principles and action plans for intellectual property rights cooperation, so as to promote the exchange and cooperation of BRICs in intellectual property rights and enhance trade innovation and development.

China will further promote market opening and expand imports from countries including BRICs. From 2018, China will hold Chinese international import expo. We expect the active participation of BRICs, so that more BRICs products can enter the Chinese market to share the trade development bonus, and achieve mutual benefit and win-win results.

In terms of enhancing cooperation of investment facilitation of the BRICs, since investment is an important driving force for global economic growth and sustainable development, members are looking forward to discussing on investment facilitation issues at this meeting. We will, based on the BRICs Trade and Investment Cooperation Framework adopted at the 3rd meeting of BRICs economic and trade ministers in 2013, the Action Plan of BRICs Trade and Investment Facilitation adopted in 2014 at the fourth meeting of BRICs economic and trade ministers as well as the Guiding Principles of Global Investment adopted at G20 Summit in Hangzhou in 2016, try to reach a consensus on cooperation of investment facilitation of BRICs, continue to promote the transparency of policy framework for investment, improve the efficiency of administrative procedures related to investment, at the same time, take into account the functions of investment and development and actively create a fair and transparent and predictable business environment for investment.

In deepening the BRICs economic and technological cooperation, this meeting for the first time includes economic and technological cooperation into the BRICs economic and trade cooperation agenda. We look forward to working together with other parties to agree on the BRICs Economic and Technological Cooperation Framework, launch comprehensively the capacity building of trade and investment facilitation, trade in services, e-commerce and other areas and enhance communication and mutual trust so as to enhance the ability of the BRICs trade and investment development fundamentally and help members integrate global value chain and rise to the upstream to better share the fruits of economic growth and globalization.

Regarding support of the multilateral trading system, members support to support the multilateral trading system from the political level to continue consolidating and reviving the core role of the multilateral trading system and discuss the anti-protectionism and constant support of the work carried out by the WTO and other international organizations for the supervision of the protectionism. We wish that measures can be taken at the meeting to promote the rendering of balanced, meaningful and development-oriented outcomes at the 11th WTO ministerial conference to be held at the end of this year.

At present, all sides are conducting intensive consultations on the outcomes of the above issues. We hope that the BRICs and relevant international organizations will have comprehensive cooperation and in-depth discussion to seek the greatest consensus and jointly promote the positive results of the meeting of economic and trade ministers, for the purpose of well preparing in terms of economic and trade for the leaders meeting in Xiamen in September and laying a solid foundation for the next "Golden Decade" of BRICs.

[Gao Feng]: thank you, Vice Minister Wang Shouwen.

Next, reporters are invited to raise questions around the topic of today's conference; before you ask questions, please first introduce your media.

[CCTV Newsprogram Center]: with respect to the "mechanism, system and pragmatism" of the BRICs economic and trade cooperation to be accelerated by this meeting you just mentioned, what are China's specific considerations and what work has been carried out by China?

[Wang Shouwen]: over the past ten years, the BRICs cooperation has made remarkable achievements and positive progress, but with the gradual deepening of cooperation, BRICs have practical requirements for further improvement and enhancement in terms of the construction of cooperation mechanism, establishment of cooperation areas and the implementation of the cooperation results. This year, China lays emphasis on the promotion of the mechanism, system and pragmatism of the BRICs economic and trade cooperation, which receives positive response and support from the BRICs.

Specifically, in the field of economic and trade, "mechanism" mainly refers to the establishment of the BRICs economic and trade cooperation organization, for the purpose of which, a complete cooperation system led by the meeting of economic and trade ministers and supported by professional working groups and expert groups with the economic and trade liaison meetings as the core, in order to improve the work efficiency and executive ability of economic and trade cooperation. China's active initiatives have brought new progress of the BRICs in terms of mechanism construction this year. Moreover, the BRICs intellectual property cooperation mechanism was launched and the BRICs working group on e-commerce and BRICs demonstration electronic port network are intended. The establishment of these new mechanisms will greatly strengthen the pragmatic cooperation of BRICs.

"System" is mainly intended to determine the key areas of BRICs cooperation according to the BRICs economic and trade cooperation needs, and make them organic systems that are related and supported in order to enhance the overall effect of the economic and trade cooperation. At present, a relatively comprehensive economic and trade cooperation framework covering cargo trade facilitation, investment facilitation, trade in services, e-commerce, intellectual property rights, economic and technological cooperation, multilateral policy coordination and others has formed among the BRICs and in the future, new areas of cooperation will be incorporated based on the development of BRICs cooperation and the actual needs of the parties concerned.

"Pragmatism" mainly aims to actively promote the BRICs cooperation in the fields of economic and trade, to strive to produce tangible results in the favor of enterprises and people, in order to enhance the effectiveness of the BRICs economic and trade cooperation. This year, China's vigorous promotion of the BRICs demonstration electronic port network is a good example. The network will improve the level of trade facilitation in BRICs through the exchange of information, capacity building, building of "single window" and other specific cooperation activities.

We will spare no efforts with the parties concerned to jointly make the meeting of economic and trade ministers focus on the "mechanism, system and pragmatism" construction to achieve practical results, so that the BRICs economic and trade cooperation can reach a new level and therefore increase the quality of the BRICs cooperation.

[China National Radio]: can you introduce some specific cooperation measures of BRICs in the field of e-commerce and what are new opportunities for the future development?

[Zhang Shaogang]: at present, with the rapid development and extensive application of information and communication technology, e-commerce has become one of the most dynamic economic activities in the world. The BRICs are no exceptions. Enterprises of the BRICs already have very close contacts in e-commerce. For example, Brazil pine nuts and propolis, Russian candy and cookies, spices and handicrafts of India, grapefruit and wine of South Africa and other specialty products are hot-sale products that are favored by Chinese consumers in the e-commerce platform of Chinese enterprises. Chinese enterprises and other BRICs enterprises are also actively cooperating in e-commerce sales, logistics, payment and other aspects.

On the government level, in recent years, the BRICs have also made fruitful discussions on e-commerce, which have created favorable conditions for launching substantive cooperation. In this year, based on the previous cooperation, we held in May a special e-commerce dialogue among the BRICs that the BRICs governments and enterprises as well as representatives of UNIDO, the international trade center and other international organizations were invited to attend. The meeting formed a lot of valuable proposals for cooperation. On this basis, we proposed the BRICs E-commerce Cooperation Initiative, focusing on three aspects: firstly, strengthen the BRICs e-commerce cooperation mechanism and promote the establishment of the working group on e-commerce so as to comprehensively promote pragmatic cooperation; secondly, strengthen the interaction of the BRICs e-commerce industry to actively carry out exchanges and dialogue; thirdly, to carry out joint study of e-commerce and get to know the present development situation of BRICs e-commerce, to give suggestions on deeper cooperation. At present, the members still discuss those initiatives and we look forward to the early start pragmatic cooperation, make good use of the BRICs cooperation platform, optimize the BRICs e-commerce development environment and contribute to the formulation of the e-commerce rules.

[Phoenix Satellite Television]: for the Chinese international import expo you mentioned, how can the BRICs benefit from it?

[Wang Shouwen]: in May 2017, President Xi Jinping announced at the "Belt and Road" international cooperation summit forum to hold Chinese international import expo from 2018. This is an important measure to promote the "Belt and Road" construction and promote a new round of opening to the outside world. It contributes to the expansion of import of China, helps develop the trade of various countries and also has important significance to strengthen economic and trade exchanges between BRICs and China.

In the first half of 2017, China's import from the BRICs grew rapidly, achieving an amount of more than USD 70.16 billion, or a growth rate of 33.6%, 14.7% higher than the growth rate of foreign trade import over the same period. It accounted for 8.1% of China's total foreign trade imports. China's import from Brazil was USD 28.93 billion, an increase of 33.5% on a year-on-year basis. imports from Russia amounted to USD 20.34 billion, a year-on-year increase of 29.4%; China's import from India was USD 8.23 billion, an increase of 42.5% on a year-on-year basis and imports from South Africa amounted to USD 12.66 billion, a YoY increase of 35.4%. With more than 1.3 billion people, China has a huge domestic market and will import more than USD 8 trillion over the next 5 years, which will bring great business opportunities to all countries, including the BRICs.

At present, we are actively preparing for Chinese international import expo, which will create a good platform for the world's leading products to enter into China and create more opportunities. China greatly invite all countries including the BRICs to organize their own enterprises to participate in import expo, so as to display their products and services with competitive advantages, expand the Chinese market and achieve mutual benefit and win-win results. Together with other countries, we will work hard to build Chinese international import expo into a high level, influential and open international cooperation platform to jointly promote trade growth around the globe.

[China Global Television Network (CGTN)]: to promote trade facilitation is the focus of the meeting of BRICs economic and trade ministers concern, and is also one of the issues to which the parties pay more attention, so what do you expect about the cooperation outcomes of this issue under discussion?

[Zhang Shaogang]: this year marks the beginning of the implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement. We hope the BRICs will work together to implement this important agreement. In addition, we hope that under the framework of BRICs cooperation, members can take some pragmatic cooperation measures in terms of trade facilitation to jointly create a stable, transparent, fair and predictable business environment.

Since the beginning of this year, based on our past cooperation, we learn from the successful experience of the Asia Pacific demonstration electronic port network and further propose to strengthen the trade facilitation and cooperation and to establish the BRICs demonstration electronic port network. In fact, under the APEC framework, the Asia Pacific demonstration electronic port network set up in Shanghai by the operation center has been running for nearly three years. So far, 14 ports of 10 economies have joined in the network. Several meetings and trainings have been provided with respect to the electronic port and single window construction, paperless trade, cross-border e-commerce and other areas, rendering very significant cooperative effects and are enthusiastically responded by the parties. Next month, the network will conduct training in Shanghai, and we have invited all participants, including BRICs members, to exchange experience and promote cooperation.

At present, the parties have had in-depth exchange of views on the formation of the network. We hope that this meeting of economic and trade ministers will make positive progress on the establishment of an electronic port network for BRICs, and we hope to work with other members to start relevant cooperation as soon as possible, to strengthen information sharing and capacity building in terms of port construction, operation and single window, paperless trade and others and improve the interconnection level of supply chain so as to build a sound business environment.

[Gao Feng]: that is all for today's conference. Thank you all.