The Thematic Session on Trade Connectivity of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation was held in China National Convention Center on the afternoon of May 14. Chinese Minister of Commerce Zhong Shan made a keynote speech. Here is the full text:
Distinguished guests, fellow ministers,
Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends:
Good afternoon!
First of all, on behalf of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, I’d like to extend warm welcome and heartfelt thanks to all the guests attending the Thematic Session on Trade Connectivity.
Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on the morning, he elaborated on the spiritual connotation of the Belt and Road initiative, reviewed the fruitful results made by the Belt and Road construction over the past four years and proposed ways and moves for cooperation and development in the future. In the afternoon, we mainly touched on trade connectivity, pool ideas, built consensus and provided experience and wisdom for Belt and Road trade and economic cooperation.
Trade connectivity is an important part of the Belt and Road construction. The ancient Silk Road opened up two thousand years ago, was the most important trade path in the world at that time. All countries learned from each other’s strong points and closed the gap through commodity trade, enhanced cultural exchanges and mutual learning.
The importance of trade connectivity began to stand out as the Belt and Road initiative was put forward, and it has not only pulled up the economic growth, improved people’s life, but also promoted industrial cooperation and technology exchanges and brought real benefits to countries along the Belt and Road and their people. From 2014-2016, the trade value between China and border countries exceeded US$3 trillion with a combined investment value of over US$50 billion. Products, service, technology and capital from countries along the Belt and Road has streamed into China, and “Made in China”, “Built by China”, and “China Service” were more and more popular among countries along the Belt and Road line.
Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends!
Trade is an important engine of economic growth. In the present world, free trade has connected all countries closely with interwoven interests, and all economies are dependent on each other. To promote the trade connectivity along the Belt and Road line, we need to carry forward the Silk Road spirits, extend cooperation ideas and consolidate cooperation basis.
1.Improving the trade liberalization. The economic exchanges among countries along the Belt and Road line are increasingly closer, so we need to create an environment favorable for opening-up and development. We initiate to promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, eliminate trade and investment barriers, foster a just, fair and transparent international trade and investment rule system and enhance an orderly flow of production factors, efficient allocation of resources and deep market integration.
2.Expanding the trade size. Most countries along the Belt and Road line are the developing countries, their industrialization process is accelerated, they are strongly complementary to each other in economic structure and boast vast development room and potential. We propose to dig out new engine for trade growth, extend trade areas, innovate trade modes, consolidate trade and investment linkage, unleash cooperation potential and promote trade growth.
3.Promoting the balanced and coordinated development. Only with mutually beneficial results, can cooperation last long. We propose that all countries should combine with their own characteristics, optimize trade and investment structures, equally participate and share the dividends of economic globalization and build the community of shared interests. Imports and exports are equally important, all countries should actively open up markets to each other and promote the balanced trade development.
4.Promoting the green and sustainable development. Green development is a necessary condition for sustainable development. We propose to practice green development in trade and investment, advocate green, low-carbon, cycled and sustainable production and lifestyle, strengthen cooperation in ecological and environmental protection, promote to fulfill social responsibility and jointly build a green silk road.
Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends!
China’s rapid development is the opportunity for the world. It’s predicted that in five years, China will import over US$8 trillion commodity, its outward FDI will surpass US$750 billion and there will be over 500 million overseas tourists . That will bring huge opportunities for all countries in the world. To enhance trade connectivity along the Belt and Road line, the Chinese side would like to put forth the following moves with a view to connectivity, efficiency, mutual benefit and development:
--Hosting China International Imports Expo. The Chinese side will continue to open up markets and actively expand imports. It’s predicted that in the coming five years, China will import US$2 trillion commodity from countries and regions along the Belt and Road line. From 2018, we will host the China International Imports Expo. The expo will provide convenience for foreign products to enter into Chinese market and serve as an international platform for foreign commodity trade as well.
--Stepping up free trade agreement negotiations. China will abide by the open and transparent principles to jointly negotiate on FTA construction with countries and regions and advance RCEP negotiations. Promoting FTA upgrading negotiations, increasing new topics like environmental protection and E-commerce and upgrading the FTA construction.
--Actively promoting trade facilitation. China would like to strengthen cooperation on trade facilitation with countries along the Belt and Road line and improve the customs clearance facilities of border ports. Efforts will be made to accelerate the implementation of Trade Facilitation Agreement, further simplify customs clearance, inspection and quarantine, and taxation procedures, and conduct supervision information exchanges. China will sign agreements on trade and economic cooperation with more than 30 countries and jointly carry out 100 trade and investment promotion projects with countries along the Belt and Road line.
--Jointly building trade and economic industrial cooperation zones. China would like to jointly innovate cooperation mode with countries along the Belt and Road line, jointly build trade and economic industrial cooperation zones, develop industrial clusters satisfying local needs and create a batch of cooperation zones with good performance, radiating effects and job opportunities.
--Helping countries along the Belt and Road improve ability construction. In the coming five years, China would like to provide 10,000 research and training quotas for countries along the Belt and Road line, send 50 high-level trade and economic experts to provide talents support and policy consulting service for countries alongside. China would like to jointly promote to implement the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, support 20 trade and investment promotion arrangements made by the WTO and UN and foster inclusive and sustainable development.
Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends!
To promote trade connectivity of the Belt and Road initiative, we will abide by the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, build consensus and make joint efforts. Therefore, we join hands with over 60 countries and organizations to launch the initiative of cooperation on trade connectivity along the Belt and Road line. At new starting point, let’s build the new future of “Belt and Road” trade and economic cooperation hand in hand.
