Mr. Liu Qiang: Friends from the Press, good morning! Welcome to attend the Press Conference of the 120th session of China Import and Export Fair (the "Canton Fair"). My name is Liu Qiang, and I am the deputy inspector of the General Office of the Ministry of Commerce and also serve as the host of the Press Conference today. First of all, I'd like to introduce the leaders who attend the Press Conference: Mr. Zhang Ji, the Assistant Minister of Commerce of PRC, Ms. Zhu Yong, the Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Commerce, and Mr. Li Jinqi, the Director General of China Foreign Trade Centre.

Assistant Minister Zhang Ji will emphatically introduce the development situation of China's foreign trade in 2016, the important position and role of the Canton Fair in promoting the development of foreign trade and opening to the outside world of China, as well as the relevant information about the120th session of the Canton Fair. After that, Assistant Minister Zhang Ji will, in concert with Deputy Director Zhu Yong and Director General Li Jinqi, answer the questions which are you concerned about raised by you, and now Assistant Minister Zhang Ji will introduce relevant information to you, please.

Mr. Zhang Ji: Friends from the Press, hello everyone! I am very pleased to participate in the Press Conference of the 120th session of the Canton Fair today. Firstly, I'd like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to the friends from the Press who pay their attention to and support for the foreign trade for a long time. In recent years, the foreign trade situation was complicated and grim, and the downward pressure continued to increase. The Party Central Committee and the State Council attached great importance to such situation and the current government has issued a series of documents on the policies supporting the development of foreign trade, thus the efforts in policy support for the development of foreign trade is unprecedented. The Ministry of Commerce, in concert with various departments and all localities, vigorously promotes the implementation of the policies, optimizes the environment for the development of foreign trade, alleviates burdens on and offers assistance to enterprises, does everything possible to stabilize growth, stands unswervingly for structure adjustment, and devotes every effort to promote the stabilization and recovery of foreign trade. Next, I will give a brief introduction to the current situation of the development of foreign trade and the relevant information on the 120th session of the Canton Fair which will be opened on October 15.

I. Operation of China's foreign trade from January to August

Since 2016, the situation of the development of China's foreign trade is still complicated and grim, and the downward pressure is still increasing. According to the Customs, in the first eight months of 2016, the total amount of China's import and export was RMB15.4 trillion (hereinafter the same), decreasing by 1.8% on a year-on-year basis; he amount of export was RMB 8.8 trillion, going down by 1%, while the import amount was RMB6.5 trillion, dipping by 2.9%. It is necessary to point out that although the growth in the import and export of foreign trade is still negative, with the gradual coming into effect of the policies on and measures for promoting the stabilization and recovery of China's foreign trade and after the hard work of most import and export enterprises, the decreasing range for the import and export of China's foreign trade is continued to be narrowed down and the structure of the import and export of China's foreign trade is further optimized, new energy for development is accumulating, and the development of China's foreign trade maintains a situation of stabilization and recovery.

In terms of the growth rate, the accumulative decreasing range for the import and export has continuously been narrowed down for six consecutive months. In terms of the export, the accumulative decreasing range for foreign trade export has been narrowed down for six consecutive months since March. In terms of the import, the amount of import in August turned into a positive number, and recorded the largest growth for a single month in the latest three years.

In terms of the enterprise type, private enterprises are the main force of export. From January to August, the export of private enterprises accounted for 46.7% (being equivalent to RMB4.1 trillion) of the foreign trade export of China, increasing by 1.8% when compared with that of the same period of 2015.

In terms of the type of trade, the proportion of general trade accounting for the total export was further increased. From January to August in 2016, the proportion increased to 55.5%, going up by 2.1% than 2015 (53.4%).

In terms of the structure of international market, there was a positive growth in the amount of the export to part of the countries along the "One Belt and One Road". From January to August, the amount of export to Russia, India and Thailand by China were respectively increased by 16.0%, 8.7% and 8.7%. There was also a positive growth in the amount of the export to the European Union and Japan, which were 2.8% and 0.9% respectively.

In terms of the structure of goods, the export of large-sized complete sets of equipment maintained a positive growth. From January to August, the amount of the export of large-sized complete sets of equipment was increased by 10%.
In terms of the new types of foreign trade business models, cross-border e-commerce and other new commercial forms maintained a rapid growth. From January to August, enterprises engaged in cross-border e-commerce, market purchasing trade, foreign trade integrated service and other new commercial forms continued to maintain a rapid growth momentum, and became new growth points of foreign trade. The amount of the market export of the three market purchasing pilots increased by 13%.

In terms of the import, the quality and efficiency of import were further improved. From January to August, the quantity of ten kinds of bulk commodities imported including crude oil and iron ore was increased while the price of such items was decreased, the total payment of exchange was reduced by USD 62 billion (about RMB 410 billion), which is conducive to reducing the cost and increasing the benefit of enterprises.

In general, the basic factors for the development of China's foreign trade have not changed, the advantages for the industrial complementation with the developed countries and developing countries have not changed, and the trend of acceleration in the structure adjustment and energy transformation of foreign trade has not changed.

At the same time, we should also clearly see that the foreign trade situation for the whole 2016 is still complicated and grim, the downward pressure is still increasing, and the uncertain and unstable factors are also increasing. The external demand remains in the doldrums, the growth speed of the global trade in goods is lower than that of the world economy for four consecutive years, and the in-depth impact of the international financial crisis still exists; domestic factor costs are raised, and the traditional competitive advantages of China are weakened; the undertaking of international industrial transfer is slowed down, and the outward transfer of foreign trade and orders is accelerated; prices of bulk commodities are fallen down, domestic demand is weak, and the power for import is relatively weakened. Generally speaking, the foreign trade situation is still not optimistic, and the new difficulties we faced now are not short-term, thus we still need to make strenuous efforts in achieving the annual target of the stabilization and recovery of foreign trade.

II. Important historical status and role of the Canton Fair

Since the founding of the Canton Fair in the spring of 1957, it has never been stopped for 60 years and always attracted great attention of the Party Central Committee and the State Council and obtained strong support from relevant departments and all localities as well as domestic and overseas exhibitors; the Canton Fair is a comprehensive international trade event with the longest history, the largest scale, the most complete types of goods, the largest number of clients and the best transaction results in the current China, and is worthy of the name of "the best exhibition in China".

Firstly, the scale of the Canton Fair is the largest in China. The 104th session of the Canton Fair in 2008 was divided into three phases, since then, the exhibition area of the Canton Fair (taking those of the three phases in a joint account) was maintained at about 1,180,000 square meters and the number of booth was maintained at about 60,000, thus the exhibition scale is the largest of the world.

Secondly, the Canton Fair has the longest history in exhibition in China. The Canton Fair is the only exhibition in China which has never been stopped since its founding after 60 years of trials and hardships, and also is acting as the barometer and wind vane of China's foreign trade.

Thirdly, the Canton Fair has the most complete types of domestic goods. There are 50 exhibition areas so far have been established based on 16 categories of goods in the export exhibition of the Canton Fair and six items of subject in the import exhibition, and the number of the total types of exhibits is more than 160,000.

Fourthly, the number of exhibitors and international purchasers in the Canton Fair is the most in China. The Canton Fair is an important platform for the exchanges and cooperation in trade conducted by China with other countries in the world; in recent years, there are more than 24,000 exhibitors from 50 trade delegations of the provinces and municipalities directly under the Central Government nationwide and of nearly 200,000 international purchasers from more than 210 countries and regions coming to each session of the Canton Fair. Exhibitors and purchasers are acting as the two "wheels" of the Canton Fair, which are the most valuable resources of the exhibition.

Fifthly, the transactions in the Canton Fair have good results. In 1957, the first session of the Canton Fair, the turnover reached USD86,570,000, accounting for 20% of the total spot exchange in China for that year. In 2016, the 119th session of the Canton Fair, the turnover reached nearly USD30 billion, and 92 retailers from the world top 250 retailers assigned their representatives to come for purchase.

Sixthly, the Canton Fair is an international trade platform which attaches equal importance to both import and export. In the 100th session of the Canton Fair in 2006, the Canton Fair changed its name to China Import and Export Fair, becoming a two-way platform for promoting China's import and export trade. The professional level of the Canton Fair continued to be upgraded, and the number of exhibition area with an area of more than 20,000 square meters reached 26.

In different historical periods, Canton Fair played an important role, which was mainly reflected in four aspects:

Firstly, it strongly supported enterprises in developing international markets. At present, among 24,000 exhibitors for each session of the Canton Fair, private enterprises have accounted for about 75%. The Canton Fair has become an incubator for small and medium-sized enterprises to look for foreign customers and expand international markets, and a thruster for strong foreign trade enterprises to transform and upgrade, and has made great contributions to the consolidation of China's export and the steady growth of foreign trade.

Secondly, it assisted enterprises in cultivating proprietary brands. Since the special establishment of the brand exhibition area in 2008, the Canton Fair has promoted transactions and improved the brand display and cultivation. At present, there have been over 2000 quality brand exhibitors at each session, with the number of their booths exceeding 20% of that of total booths and their trading volume exceeding 30% of total trading volume, which has promoted the transformation, upgrading and structural adjustment of foreign trade.

Thirdly, it drove a large number of export-oriented economic and trade exhibitions. During the Canton Fair, nearly 200,000 global purchasers brought together, forming a Canton Fair centered exhibition season in South China and international procurement seasons in spring and autumn. Fully inclusive with, complementary to and suitable with the exhibitions, the Canton Fair attracted more international purchasers to come to China, promoting the local economic and social development.

Fourthly, it enhanced economic and trade exchanges and mutual benefits. The Canton Fair attracted nearly 400,000 purchasers from over 210 countries and regions every year, promoting the integration of Chinese and foreign economy and trade and cultural exchanges. Since the 101st session of the Canton Fair, the Canton Fair set up import exhibitions. As a result, there have been thousands of quality foreign exhibitors from 108 countries and regions.

The Canton Fair is a comprehensive international trade gathering with the full resources of China and meanwhile serves China. It has made important contributions to the development of foreign trade. At present, profound changes have taken place in the international environment and domestic conditions for the development of China's foreign trade, and the Canton Fair is also facing new situations, requirements and challenges, so it needs to adapt to the new normal, enhance the level of internationalization, specialization, marketization and informationization to better serve local regions and enterprises and the national foreign trade, seek improvement in stability and make innovations to make greater contributions to the transformation from the power of foreign trade to the great power of trade. Next, friends from the Press are welcome to ask questions.

Liu Qiang: Thank you, Assistant Minister Zhang Ji. Now, reporters may ask questions on the subjects of the Press Conference.

21st Century Business Herald reporter: Director General Li Jinqi, could you introduce the basic situation of the 120th Canton fair? Compared with the previous Canton Fairs, what are the characteristics of the 120th one? Thank you!

Li Jinqi: Assistant Minister Zhang Ji just comprehensively introduced the important historical status and role of the Canton Fair. The Canton Fair will have its 60 birthday this year, which is an important moment. From the exhibition area of 9,600 square meters, 1,223 purchasers from 19 countries and regions and the turnover of USD 17.54 million in the 1st session, to the exhibition area of 1,180,000 square meters, nearly 200,000 purchasers from over 210 countries and regions and the turnover of nearly USD 30 billion in the 119th session, Canton Fair has made huge progress.

The 120th Canton Fair is still divided into three stages with 60,250 booths in total and 24,500 exhibitors at home and abroad. Among them, there are 50 export areas, with a total of 59,252 booths (11,925 brand booths and 47,327 general booths) and 23,900 domestic exhibitors; the import exhibition is held in Phase 1 and Phase 3, with a total of 998 booths and 615 companies from about 40 countries and regions. Phase I of the export exhibition, from October 15-19, has 19,770 booths, mainly displaying mechanical and electrical products, hardware, building materials and others. Phase II, from October 23-27, has 20,139 booths, mainly displaying consumer goods and gifts. Phase III, from October 31 to November 4, has 19,343 booths, mainly displaying textile and garment, bags, stationery and sporting goods, food, medical supplies and medicines and health care products and other products. The import exhibition has 630 booths in Phase 1 from October 15-19, mainly displaying electronics and household appliances, building materials, hardware, mechanical equipment and other products; and has 368 booths in Phase III from October 31 to November 4, mainly displaying food and beverage, furniture, fabrics and textile products etc.

The 120th Canton Fair features as follows:

I. Steadily improving the level of exhibition. In recent years, the level of internationalization, professionalization, marketization and informatization of the Canton Fair has been improved and the overall competitiveness has been steadily increased. In the 120th Canton Fair, we continue to optimize the setup of exhibition areas, among which 27 exhibition areas have set up over 120 special exhibition zones. We continue to support the national brand, with the brand booths accounting for 20%. In recent years, extraordinarily cultivated new energy and pet supplies new-theme exhibition is more developed and attractive. We continue to integrate import and export exhibitions, leading to the exhibitions of domestic and foreign enterprises in the same area, continuing to improve the level of internationalization.

II. Taking measures to increase international investment attraction. Firstly, we launch warming-up publicity for the 120th Canton Fair through facebook, LinkedIn and other six international community media platforms. Our overseas professional fans at the facebook have exceeded more than 550,000 persons, with the greatest influence in the global industry.
Secondly, we increase the efforts to expand the publicity of the Canton Fair through Google, YAHOO and other well-known global search engines. As at September 26, the Canton Fair has attracted over 50,000 purchasers for pre-registration through social media, search engines and other Internet channels. Thirdly, we promote the global video investment attraction. In the 120th Canton Fair, we have carried out 16 video investment attraction activities in 15 countries, attracting 1,200 customers to join us and nearly 30 media to report. Fourthly, we vigorously ask exhibitors and frequent purchasers to invite purchasers. Fifthly, we cooperate with China Southern Airlines in providing preferential for overseas purchasers relying on the line from Paris, London, Frankfurt and Amsterdam to Guangzhou. Sixthly, we take more efforts to invite VIP purchasers, especially the merchants in the countries implementing "Belt and Road Initiative" and focus on inviting the merchants who participated in the Canton Fair for more than 30 times by region or industry.

III. Constantly enriching the functions of exhibitions. Firstly, we convene the conference on such six themes as international market, industry summit, design innovation, brand marketing, tendency and technology research and development to guide enterprises to take the road of innovative development. Secondly, we organize the appraisal and election of "Canton Fair Design Awards" (CF Awards) to establish a benchmark for design and innovative enterprises. Thirdly, we enrich service connotation of Canton Fair Product Design & Trade Promotion Center (PDC), introduce quality design resources at home and abroad to integrate with Chinese manufacturing, keep the steady increase in the scale of design shows, and organize design integration, fashion shows and other activities to help enterprises to cultivate new competitive advantages.

IV. Fully implementing the green development plan. We will take measures to promote enterprises to greenly arrange exhibitions and ensure the completion of the goal that the popularity rate of green booths reaches100%. We direct the development of conference and exhibition industry in the direction of environmental protection, low carbon and energy saving through implementing green exhibition, advocating green conferences and creating green pavilions.

V. Deeply promoting the construction of smart Canton Fair. The 120th Canton Fair will deeply promote the plan for "Canton Fair plus Internet", strengthen the construction of the system of software and hardware support, build a service pattern with the characteristics of all channels, one-stop service and combination of online and offline services taking such new business models as intelligent services, intelligent business travel, certification by the Canton Fair and enterprise promotion as the core, enhance the function of interactive experience, and carry out an overall improvement of the service level.

VI. Continuing to alleviate burdens on enterprises. We implement the spirit of the instructions of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Commerce on supporting the steady growth of foreign trade and continue to reduce the costs of exhibitions. The costs lowered are the same as those of the 119th Session, namely a total of RMB 240 million saved for enterprises.

A CCTV reporter asked that, I'd like to ask Assistant Minister Zhang Ji that, you just mentioned that the foreign trade situation is complicated and grim from January to August at the beginning, what do you think of the foreign trade situation of the whole year of 2016? And what measures will be taken by the Ministry of Commerce as the next step to strive for realizing the stabilization and recovery of the foreign trade? Thank you.

Assistant Minister Zhang Ji said that, in the first eight months of 2016, the foreign trade maintained a good momentum in stabilization and recovery, but the situation foreign trade faced is still complicated and grim and not optimistic, factors of uncertainty and instability are increasing, and the difficulty we faced is not short-term. On September 27, the World Trade Organization released the latest trade outlook report, reducing the increasing speed of global trade in goods in 2016 from the 2.8% predicted in April to 1.7%, and this is the lowest predicted number since the international financial crisis, indicating that 2016 is the most difficult year in global trade. There are great changes in the international environment and internal conditions for the development of China's foreign trade, the export is mainly affected by the continuous downturn of the demands of international market and the weakening of the traditional competitive advantages of China's foreign trade, the import is mainly affected by the falling of the prices of bulk commodities and the weakening of domestic demands for import, thus we still need to make strenuous efforts in order to achieve the target of the stabilization and recovery of foreign trade for the whole year of 2016. At the same time, we should also see that China, as a large trade country with such a large volume, it is a normal thing that there are fluctuations in its import and export, and we should be objective and rational to treat such situation and keep the conviction.

The Party Central Committee and the State Council attach great importance to foreign trade, and the current government has issued 16 documents on the policies supporting the development of foreign trade. These target-oriented documents with high quality not also stand from the present and play the role of stabilizing the growth, but also look forward to the future and play the role of structure adjustment, therefore received a wide range of high opinions from all localities, industries and enterprises. All departments and localities vigorously promoted the implementation of such policies, were brave in facing the difficulties, had the courage to assume responsibilities, overcame a lot of difficulties, constantly carried forward the implementation, formed a joint force of policy and work, and further improved the environment for the development of foreign trade.

The Ministry of Commerce conscientiously carried out the decision and deployment of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, earnestly fulfilled the responsibility as a main entity, enhanced organization and leadership, strengthened coordination among departments, vigorously promoted and carefully organized, and paid close attention to the implementation of these policies; formulated proposals for division of labor, divided the relevant documents into 212 work tasks, specified the main entity to assume responsibility, and ensure that each item of work has been assigned to person and implemented. The Ministry of Commerce also improved the working mechanism, strengthened the weekly report system for the implementation situation with 26 departments, and established a regular communication system with 31 provinces, municipalities directly under the Central Government and autonomous regions. At the same time, it also took a variety of methods to understand the situation, including the questionnaire survey as well as on-site supervision, direction and research; strengthened the propaganda in public opinions, did a good job of policy interpretation in multiple forms and channels, guided public expectations and boosted confidence.

In the face of the complicated and grim situation at home and abroad, through the efforts of all parties, the effect of such policies is gradually emerging. In the first ten-day period of August, the Development Research Center of the State Council, as an independent third party institution, conducted an evaluation on the implementation of the policies on the steady growth of foreign trade, and most enterprises reported that it is helpful that the State Council supports for the implementation of the policies on foreign trade, and they also deemed that such policy measures are target-oriented, full of high quality, and play an important role in assisting in alleviating burdens on and boosting the confidence of foreign trade enterprises. On August 16, Premier Li Keqiang chaired an executive meeting of the State Council, hearing the reports given by the Ministry of Commerce and the Development Research Center of the State Council relating to the implementation of such policies, and fully affirming the promotion of the implementation of the policies on the steady growth of foreign trade in the latest three years.

At the same time, we should also see that there is still a lot of work for us to do in the implementation of such policies, and there are still deficiencies and differences. According to the report of certain localities and enterprises, in the implementation of some policies, there are still such issues as imperfect support, non-synchronous implementation, non-ideal implementation effect and too principled policy statements. To solve these problems, we should, in accordance with the decision and deployment of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, adhere to the principle of problem-oriented, classify such issues and carefully analyze, and in concert with relevant departments, jointly promote and continue to carry out the implementation, and strive to achieve the target of the stabilization and recovery of foreign trade. Generally speaking, we should strengthen the efforts to do a good job with regard to the following five aspects:

Firstly, we must continue to pay close attention to the implementation of the policies promulgated by the State Council. We should focus on the difficulties which foreign trade enterprises pay their attention to and those occurred in the implementation of these policies, earnestly implement with the spirit of "leaving a mark when grasping an iron bar" and "leaving a footprint when stepping on a stone", and lay our emphasis on such issues including further cleaning up and rectifying the unreasonable charges in the import and export, the implementation of a system of catalogue list for charges, effective alleviation of the difficulties of difficult and expensive financing for enterprises, as well as further improving the level of trade facilitation. Next, we will strengthen the coordination and cooperation among departments, take proper measures, and strive to open up "the last mile" of the implementation of these policies.

Secondly, we must continue to pay close attention to the research of the policies on the differentiation of processing trade. China's status as a large trade country is formed by the support of both internal and external forces, thus we should take decomposition observation in a proper manner when we analyze the trend of foreign trade. The main body of general trade mainly are private and state-owned enterprises, while the main body of processing trade mainly are foreign enterprises; "both the two sides are open to the overseas", but the degree of the impact of international factors on the two sides and the degree of risk resistance for the two sides are different. Processing trade has the characteristics of "nomadic people", it will be chose to be developed in the places with lower factor costs. In recent years, with the continued rise in the cost of labor and other factors in China, our traditional competitive advantages has been weakened, the activities of undertaking international industrial transfer have been slowed down, while the speed for the outward transfer of foreign trade and the orders has been accelerated. Affected by this reason, the decreasing degree of the import and export in processing trade is now relatively larger, once it has accounted for half of the trade in China, but now only accounting for one third, which is the key point and also the difficulty in the current stabilizing growth. We will, in accordance with the requirements of the No.4 and No.27 documents of the State Council, in concert with relevant departments, further conduct in-depth study, and further support the gradient transfer of trade processing enterprises, especially the differentiation policy on the transfer to the central and western regions of China.

Thirdly, we must carry out and expand the pilot for the three new commercial forms. The Ministry of Commerce should, in concert with relevant departments, further promote the pilot for enterprises engaged in cross-border e-commerce, market purchasing and foreign trade integrated service, and 13 pilots of comprehensive test areas for cross-border e-commerce in two batches including Hangzhou have been carried out and achieved positive results. Recently, the Ministry of Commerce and the relevant departments have started another five market pilots of the third batch of the type of trade of market purchasing, and carried out pilots for foreign trade integrated service business in four enterprises. We will pay close attention to promote the pilot work, through system innovation, management innovation, service innovation and collaborative development, strive to explore and gradually form the system arrangement which adapts to the development of new commercial forms, improve the adaptation of the current management policies, form experience that could be learned and promoted, and promote the innovation and development of foreign trade.

Fourthly, we must continue to create an environment for business operation with characteristics of internationalization and institutionalization. We should actively respond to trade frictions, strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights, accelerate the construction of credit system, and maintain the normal order of export. Some of the export enterprises always said that, "they prefer to have business with foreign enterprises rather than Chinese enterprises but they are concerned about the unfair competition relation existed in the foreign trade", and this pretty much means that they are not afraid of competition but have a fear of unfair competition. Therefore, we should gradually solve this problem by strengthening the macro-regulation and control over all government departments, giving full play to the functions of organization and coordination of intermediary organizations and the strict self-discipline of enterprises, promote the formation of a fairer competitive environment, and encourage the innovation and development of enterprises.
Fifthly, we must strengthen the guidance for propaganda and the policy interpretation. We should continue to strengthen the propaganda of, learning from and communication with the typical examples, summarize and promote the good experience and practices of typical enterprises, and encourage and guide enterprises to innovate and develop. We will strengthen the efforts in the propaganda of and training for the policies for enterprises, so that they could make good use of the existing policies. That's all, thank you.

An International Business Daily reporter asked that, my questions are for Director General Li Jinqi, could you please introduce what kind of functions the Canton Fair played in promoting the transformation and upgrading of foreign trade and cultivating new competitive advantages? And what are the results? Thank you.

Director General Li Jinqi said that, the Canton Fair, as an important platform for promoting China's trade, actively took measures to vigorously promote the levels of internationalization, specialization, marketization and informatization of itself, boosted the transformation, upgrading and going-out of foreign trade enterprises, and cultivated new competitive advantages in China's foreign trade.

Firstly, we optimized the structure of exhibition areas. We subdivided, integrated and developed new subject items, supported some exhibition areas with strength to develop bigger and stronger, transform and upgrade, so that to make the structure of the exhibition areas of the Canton Fair could better adapt to the changes in the international market and the demands for the development of China's foreign trade.

Secondly, we optimized the structure of exhibitors. We continued to increase the number and proportion of brand booth, the number of the brand booth increased from the 6391 in the 103rd session of the Canton Fair to the 11925 in the 119th session of the Canton Fair, and the proportion from 15% to 19.8%. We also specified the annual update rate of exhibitors and supported the standards for participating in the Canton Fair for small and medium-sized enterprises and new enterprises, so that more competitive enterprises could participate in the Canton Fair in order to protect the quality and vitality of exhibitors.

Thirdly, we accelerated the building of brands for export. We guided the enterprises to register domestic and foreign trademarks through the selection rules for brand booth, and constantly improved the brand awareness of the enterprises through the international general certifications for quality management system and enterprises. We laid our emphasis on the propaganda and promotion of brand enterprises in the overseas investment and on the official website of the Canton Fair.

Fourthly, we innovated service pattern. We encouraged enterprises to establish the awareness of attaching importance to independent research and development as well as the improvement of the competitiveness of brands. The Canton Fair Product Design & Trade Promotion Center (PDC) helped the research, development and innovation of enterprises through such forms of activities as exhibitions of innovative design, connection of design service and cooperation, design innovation forums and fashion shows for new products; and the selection of the Canton Fair Design Awards (CF Awards) took establishing typical models and guiding innovation as the core value, selected China's export products with outstanding design value, and played an exemplary role as a benchmark. At the same time, we held various types of conferences and forums, covering six major subject items including industry summit, international market, design innovation, brand marketing, trend and tendency, as well as technology research and development. We actively integrated into the internet, through the combination of online and offline activities, created an online display column named the "brand showcase", so that the enterprises will get more opportunities for the matching of online trade.

Fifthly, we strengthened the protection of intellectual property rights. We kept updating the revision of the Provisions on the Administration of Exhibits, the Measures for the Complaints and Treatment of Infringing upon Intellectual Property Rights and the Measures for the Monitoring over the Quality of the Export Products and the Complaints for Trade Disputes, supervised the quality of exhibits, cracked down on the infringement of intellectual property rights, handled trade disputes, and prohibited exhibitors which produce or sell counterfeit and shoddy goods from participating in the Canton Fair. The Canton Fair has become an excellent example of the protection of intellectual property rights in China's exhibition field, is a national demonstration base for the copyright protection in exhibitions accredited by the National Copyright Administration, and also the only demonstration entity of the protection of intellectual property rights in exhibitions at the provincial level accredited by the People's Government of Guangdong Province.

Sixthly, we took a leading role in the green development. A green development plan was carried out in the Canton Fair, it aims at reducing and eliminating the wastes and air pollution produced in the building and demolishing of the exhibition, and guiding a revolution of exhibition arrangement in China's exhibition industry with low carbon, going green and environmental protection. The 120th session of the Canton Fair will achieve the target of 100% of the popularizing rate of green booth, the special green booth were produced by reducing and recycling of materials, thus the cost of exhibition arrangement was decreased, and we achieved the target of energy-saving and cost-reducing for the green exhibition.

The Canton Fair, through the transformation and upgrading of itself as well as the innovative measures made for it in recent years, obtained a series of results, turned itself from a platform with a single function of export trade to a platform with comprehensive functions including meeting clients, exhibition and negotiation, industrial exchange, information release and product promotion, and the exhibition effect has been widely recognized by exhibitors and purchasers. The Canton Fair is still an important platform for China to promote its trade.

A Xinhua News Agency reporter asked that, my question is also for Director General Li Jinqi, before the 119th session of the Canton Fair, the attending rate of purchasers and the turnover were both decreased for three consecutive years, but on the other hand, the e-commerce and the professional exhibitions were in rapid development. In this situation, the development of the Canton Fair will be determined in what position?

Director General Li Jinqi said that, the Canton Fair is acting as the barometer and wind vane of China's foreign trade; the current situation of foreign trade is complicated and grim, with a lot of downward pressure, and the attending rate of purchasers and the turnover were both decreased for three consecutive years. However, such two numbers increased slightly in the 119th session of the Canton Fair, and this is consistent with the trend of China's foreign trade.

The Canton Fair will continue to serve for the national strategy of opening to the outside world, promote the steady growth, method change and structure adjustment of foreign trade, accelerate cultivating new competitive advantages of foreign trade, guide China's foreign trade transferring to the both ends of the "smiling curve", promote the transformation and upgrading of China's foreign trade, and make contributions to the realization of China's transformation from a large trade country to a trade power.

The attending rate of the purchasers and the on-site turnover are two traditional indicators to evaluate the Canton Fair. However, we have learned certain new information as below through investigations: first, the Canton Fair is an important channel for export transactions for the exhibitors, but is no longer the only channel. The turnover reached by the exhibitors with their clients meeting in the Canton Fair accounts for nearly 50% of the annual value of export of those enterprises. Secondly, the transactions are no longer confined to the on-site ones in the Canton Fair, and the turnover after the Canton Fair accounts for about 70% of the total turnover of the transactions made by the exhibitors with the clients meeting in the Canton Fair. Thirdly, the exhibition effect of the Canton Fair has received the general recognition of exhibitors and purchasers, thus the Canton Fair is still an important platform for export trade. In order to meet the demands for the development of foreign trade in the new period, the Canton Fair is further innovated and changed, its functions are continued to be expanded, transferring from on-site transactions to meeting customers, exhibition and negotiations, industrial exchanges, information release, product promotion and other integrated functions.

In the face of the impact of e-commerce, the Canton Fair will take the industry-leading professional exhibition as the benchmark, adhere to the strategy of serving for the State, actively adapt to the new norms, and accelerate the reform and innovation; in the principles of "internationalization, specialization, marketization and informatization", continuously enhance the endogenous power and development vitality, better serve for the localities, enterprises and the national development of foreign trade, and create itself as a professional, intelligent and ecological platform in the first place in promoting the development of China's foreign trade.

Firstly, we will follow the law of development of the international exhibition industry, adhere to the research and formulation of the medium and long-term development strategy of the Canton Fair, consolidate and develop the traditional advantages of the Canton Fair, accelerate the cultivation of new advantages, and achieve the sustainable development.
Secondly, we will be based on maintaining the traditional advantages of the Canton Fair, constantly improve the professional level of the Canton Fair, accelerate the upgrading of exhibits and the specialized exhibits arrangement in a centralized way, adjust and cultivate the existing and new exhibition areas, and create part of "sub-exhibitions" in an international leading role.

Thirdly, we will establish a mechanism for enterprises to participate in the Canton Fair with the principle of "the survival of the fittest", at the same time strengthen the efforts in the cultivation and promotion of self-owned brands, and also support domestic and foreign enterprises with strength to participate in the Canton Fair.

Fourthly, we will increase the levels of informatization, digitization and intellectualization of the Canton Fair, promote the plan for the activity of "Canton Fair plus Internet", strengthen the construction of the system of software and hardware support, build a service pattern with the characteristics of all channels, one-stop service and combination of online and offline services taking such new business models as intelligent services, intelligent business travel, certification by the Canton Fair and enterprise promotion as the core, enhance the function of interactive experience, and carry out an overall improvement of the service level.

Liu Qiang: that’s all for today’s Press Conference; thank you.

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