Wen Jiabao, Premier of the State Council, paid a visit to MOFCOM for investigation on 4th and extended New Year wishes to its staff and workers at home and abroad. He made a point that we should adapt to the new changes in domestic and foreign environment, adhere to the strategic principles of expanding domestic demand, vigorously develop circulation industry, and enhancing open economy in an overall way.

Premier Wen arrived at 9 AM and made a visit to Department of WTO Affairs, Department of Outward Investment and Economic Cooperation, Department of Market Supervision, Department of Foreign Investment Administration, Department of European Affairs and Department of Asian Affairs and met with the staff, went around MOFCOM Ten-year Anniversary Photo Exhibition, and made a video meeting with Chinese and foreign employers at Coca Codo Sinclair Hydropower, a contracted Project in Ecuador, and at Colombo Port Expansion Project funded by China in Sri Lanka, and wished them a happy new year.

Premier Wen said at the meeting that over the past decade, there were turbulence in world economy, and our economy and world economy have become increasingly closer and mutual impact deeper. We have always been facing the world with a positive, confident and responsible attitude, participated international cooperation and competition in a larger scope, broader fields, and higher level, and significantly enhanced outward economic development. Staff and workers working at commercial line have done a remarkable job.

Premier Wen said that, currently, the requirement of coordinating domestic development and opening up is higher and the tasks of commerce departments become heavier. We must integrate expanding domestic demand and stabilizing foreign demand, vigorously promote circulation modernization, and continually strengthen the driving force of consumption for economic growth; speed up development of foreign trade, and constantly optimize import and export mix, market structure and region structure.

Premier Wen made a specific work arrangement concerning ensuring current market supply and maintaining prices. He required commerce departments and other related departments to pay close attention to market and climate change, and do a good job in market supply of foodstuffs during the Spring Festival. First, try all means to guarantee supply. Establish and perfect the reserve mechanism and emergency plan of non-staple foodstuff such as meat and vegetables, and put the reserve into market at proper time. During the extreme weathers and the Spring Festival, big cities in north China should put vegetable reserve into market without delay. Organize main circulation enterprises in big cities to purchase and transport non-staple foodstuff such as vegetables, so as to increase supply for the festival. Second, practically reinforce price supervision. Pay special efforts to investigate unlawful conducts of speculation and fabricating and disseminating pricing-increasing rumors. Carry out price enforcement check and maintain normal market order. Establish and perfect circulation tracing system for live and fresh agriculture products, strengthen quality supervision and check, and ensure food safety. Third, strengthen information monitoring on market and prices, and master the supply and price changes, so as to guide production and market flows. Fourth, reduce circulation links and lower administrative cost. Implement in earnest the policy measures of lowering circulation costs, encourage multi-mode production-marketing connection, encourage circulation enterprises of agricultural product to set up fair price counters, guide non-profit vegetable markets and state-owned wholesale markets to reduce or exempt admission fee at special periods, and lower circulation prices by all means.

(All information published on this website is authentic in Chinese. English is provided for reference only.)