Shu Jueting: Friends from the press, good afternoon. Welcome to MOFCOM’s regular press conference. It gives me great pleasure to introduce my new colleague, Mr. He Yadong, MOFCOM’s newly appointed spokesperson.

Mr. He is Deputy Director-General of the Department of Policy Research and MOFCOM spokesperson. A veteran of domestic and international macro situation and policy research and analysis, he has a solid professional background and great communication skills. I’m sure you’ll get to know each other fairly soon and work well together and confident that you’ll support his work just like you have mine and my predecessors’.

Now let me turn over to DDG He, who will moderate today’s press conference.

He Yadong: Thank you, DDG Shu. Members of the press, I feel happy and honored to meet you on this platform. For me this is a totally new job. I will learn from my predecessors, work with my colleagues and do my best to answer all your questions as the voice of MOFCOM. Hopefully, I’ll have your understanding and support. Thank you.

I have no information to share upfront and would like to take your questions.

The floor is open.

International Business Daily: The East Asia Summit meetings have just been concluded. What is China’s outlook on further deepening trade and economic cooperation with ASEAN? Could you elaborate?

He Yadong: 2023 marks the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping’s proposal for a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future and 20 years since China joined the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia. Thanks to the strategic guidance and personal impetus of the leaders on both sides, China-ASEAN trade and economic cooperation has continuously reached new levels with fruitful results.

The theme of this year’s EAS meetings is “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth”. China will work with others to continuously deepen the substance of East Asia trade and economic cooperation and push for the development of a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future to inject more positivity into international and regional prosperity and development.

First, we will deepen trade and investment cooperation. We will actively expand imports of quality products from ASEAN to deliver on President Xi’s pledge to import USD150 billion of agricultural products from ASEAN in the next five years. Expos like the CIIE and CAEXPO will be leveraged to increase promotion for ASEAN products. Cooperation on digital economy, cross-border e-commerce and green and low carbon development will be actively explored.

Second, we will advance regional economic integration. We will implement RCEP to high standards and speed up the construction of China-ASEAN FTA 3.0 for greater trade and investment liberalization and facilitation and a more inclusive, modern, comprehensive and mutually beneficial FTA.

Third, we will strengthen industrial chain and supply chain cooperation. We will bolster the supporting role of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor for regional industrial chains and supply chains, continue to deepen trade and economic, infrastructure and industrial cooperation with ASEAN, and promote the synergetic, innovative and sustainable development of East Asian industrial chains and supply chains. Thank you.

Yicai TV: We have noted that MOFCOM and related departments jointly issued the Notice of MOFCOM and Twelve Other Departments on Conducting the Honest Business Publicity Month Campaign. What major activities will MOFCOM stage for the campaign this year?

He Yadong: The Honest Business Publicity Month is an important part of social credit system building. After 18 consecutive years, it has become an influential and iconic brand. In September, MOFCOM will continue to work with related departments to run three key activities nationwide. First, on September 8, the launch ceremony will be held in Guangzhou. Second, a number of case studies will be selected and published to promote good experience and practices of operating entities in building credit system, creating credit scenarios, and celebrating credit culture. Third, thematic events of credit for the people will be held. Specialty and thematic events will be staged in ten prime downtown areas across the country, including Wangfujing of Beijing and Beijing Road of Guangzhou, to focus on pro-consumer offers and deals in automotive and home living and unleash credit dividends.

We encourage you to actively follow and cover related activities of the campaign. Thank you.

Shenzhen TV: Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said recently that Australian representatives from industry, government, academia and media will leave for China to attend the 7th Australia-China High-Level Dialogue on September 7. How will China and Australia strengthen dialogue and communication in the economic and trade field?

He Yadong: Last November, President Xi Jinping met with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Bali, charting the course for the development of bilateral relations. Since the outset of this year, China and Australia have stayed in close contact on the economic and trade fronts, engaged in communication and exchanges at all levels, and sought to address key economic and trade issues of each other’s concerns, which has been widely welcomed by people from all quarters of the two countries.

The economies of China and Australia are highly complementary. Mutually beneficial economic and trade cooperation is in the common interests of both sides. According to Chinese statistics, in the first seven months of this year, trade between China and Australia reached US$134.5 billion, an increase of 5.4% year-on-year. China welcomes closer communication and dialogue between all sectors in China and Australia and would like to work together with Australia to focus on the long-term development of China-Australia economic and trade cooperation to address each other’s economic and trade concerns in the spirit of seeking common ground while shelving differences for mutual benefit and win-win results so as to promote the sound and steady development of China-Australia economic and trade relations. Thank you.

The Cover: Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has concluded his visit to China. Whether Italy will quit the Belt and Road Initiative has been under the spotlight during his visit to China. Tajani said Italy’s participation in the Belt and Road Initiative is a decision made in the past, and whether it is to leave or stay, it is not against China. What is the comment of MOFCOM?

He Yadong: China and Italy are located at the two ends of the ancient Silk Road. The two countries share extensive common interests and deep roots for cooperation. Bilateral trade has hit record highs in recent years, reaching nearly US$80 billion last year. Italy has served as the guest of honor of the China International Import Expo and the World Winter Sports (Beijing) Expo. This year Italy also participated in the third China International Consumer Products Expo as the only guest of honor. The two sides have created new bright spots in shipbuilding, offshore wind power, energy transformation and third-party market cooperation, which have brought real benefits to the two peoples.

Minister Wang Wentao had friendly, candid and pragmatic exchanges with Foreign Minister Tayani during the latter’s visit to China. The two sides reached many consensus on further enhancing bilateral trade and facilitating two-way investment. China is willing to work with Italy to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, tap the potential of trade and investment, produce still more outcomes of the bilateral economic and trade cooperation and push for greater development of China-Italy comprehensive strategic partnership. Thank you.

Xinhua News Agency: President Xi Jinping pointed out in his video speech at the opening ceremony of the China International Fair for Trade in Services that China will promote reform and innovation-driven development of digital trade. What has MOFCOM done to promote the development of digital economy and digital trade? We understand that MOFCOM is preparing for the second Global Digital Trade Expo. Can you give us more details?

He Yadong: MOFCOM has followed through President Xi Jinping’s important statements on developing digital economy and digital trade and taken multi-pronged measures to promote digitization of commerce.

First, vigorously expanding digital trade. We have worked to introduce policies and measures to promote the reform and innovation-driven development of digital trade, strengthen and upgrade national digital service export bases, establish the digital trade standardization technical committee of the Ministry of Commerce, step up international cooperation on digital trade, and sign memorandums of understanding on digital trade cooperation with the economic and trade departments of the five Central Asian countries. In 2022, China’s imports and exports of digitally delivered services reached US$372.7 billion, up by 3.4% year-on-year, ranking the fifth in the world.

Second, accelerating the digital transformation of domestic trade circulation. We have so far created 170 national e-commerce demonstration bases and given greater play to their exemplary and leading role. We have advanced rural e-commerce and further revitalized rural areas through digital commerce. We have stimulated online consumption, with online retail sales of physical goods accounting for more than 26% of the total retail sales of consumer goods nationwide.

Third, raising the level of digitization in trade and investment. The proportion of cross-border e-commerce in total foreign trade has increased from less than 1% in 2015 to 5% in 2022. We have revised digital economy-related content in the negative list for foreign investment several times and encouraged pilot free trade zones where conditions allow to align with international high-standard digital economic rules.

Fourth, promoting international cooperation and rule-making in the digital field. China has actively expanded and deepened cooperation on Silk Road e-commerce, and established bilateral e-commerce cooperation mechanisms with 29 countries. MOUs of investment cooperation on digital economy were signed with 18 countries, and a number of digital enterprises expanded into overseas market successfully. Among the 21 free trade agreements China has signed with its trading partners, 10 have a special chapter on e-commerce or digital economy. The global network of digital economic partnerships keeps expanding.

Alongside trade in goods and trade in services, digital trade is one of the three pillars of a trader of quality. The Global Digital Trade Expo (GDTE), as China’s only national, international and professional exhibition on the theme of digital trade, focuses efforts on reform and innovation-driven development of digital trade, enables shared development of markets, promotion of growth, discussions on cooperation, and fruits for all, and contributes to greater development of global digital trade.

The second GDTE, co-hosted by MOFCOM and Zhejiang Province, will be held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang from November 23 to 27. This year’s theme will continue to be “Connecting Digital Trade to the World”. Featuring integrated development of the digital and real economy, this year’s GDTE will incorporate meetings, exhibitions, platforms and activities, with one comprehensive pavilion, two feature pavilions on cutting-edge trends and silk road e-commerce, and four digital industry pavilions on digital technology, digital services, digital content and digital, smart travel. The second GDTE is now open for business registration and application. We extend our sincere welcome to all interested parties to jointly boost development on this platform. Thank you.

Phoenix TV: According to Japanese media reports, a recent WTO panel report finds that China’s anti-dumping duties on stainless steel products from Japan are inconsistent with WTO agreements. What will China do next?

He Yadong: China has always exercised trade remedies in compliance with WTO rules. We have taken notice of the WTO panel report. In the next step, China will properly handle the follow-ups of this case in accordance with Chinese laws and regulations as well as WTO rules. Thank you.

Kyodo News: The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on September 4 that it has submitted a written document to the WTO, calling Chinese import controls following the discharge of treated water “completely unacceptable”. What’s you comment? Will there be a consultation with Japan?

He Yadong: China has made clear its solemn position on the issue of Japan’s discharge of the Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water into the sea on multiple occasions, and has repeatedly raised serious concerns and doubts at relevant WTO sessions and during the trade policy review on Japan. Despite that, the Japanese government unilaterally started releasing the nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean. In accordance with Chinese law and regulations, as well as relevant WTO rules, China has taken emergency trade measures which are fully legitimate, reasonable and necessary. The Japanese side should immediately correct its wrong practices and earnestly respond to the international community’s concerns.

On the written document you mentioned: This working document submitted to the WTO’s Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures was a repetition of Japan’s unchanged rhetoric at the committee. China always support the WTO-centered multilateral trading system and acts under WTO rules. Japan should take a hard look on itself and immediately stop putting the entire world at the risk of nuclear contamination. Thank you.