He Yadong: Members of the press, good afternoon. Welcome to MOFCOM Regular Press Conference. I have no announcements to make today and would like to take your questions.

The floor is open.

Shenzhen TV: The 7th CIIE will take place in early November, and the preparatory work has now entered a crucial stage. What progress has been made in exhibition preparation and logistics?

He Yadong: Themed in “New Era, Shared Future”, the 7th CIIE and the Hongqiao International Economic Forum will be held in Shanghai from November 5 to 10. At present, the overall preparation has been completed. Booths for country exhibition, enterprise exhibition and cultural exchange activities are all under construction. The main structure of the booths will be basically completed this evening (October 31). So far, exhibits from more than 2,700 exhibitors have entered the exhibition hall, while those from more than 700 companies are already on the way and will arrive by November 2.

A series of measures will be taken to strengthen on-site service guarantee. The CIIE venue has planned and set up 172 service points of 26 categories, and added 1,523 temporary signs to make them easy to use. Intelligent technologies have streamlined the review process of badge registration. Catering payment will be more flexible. Cash can be accepted in making small-value payments and foreign bank cards will be accepted in paying for food and drink at the CIIE for the first time. The CIIE will also allocate a 5,000-square-meter catering zone and offer food delivery services to all booths.

In addition, we publish service information such as transportation and travel through the CIIE public account and other channels, and refine and upgrade the HQF information system and the navigation function in the exhibition hall. We believe these efforts will enable exhibitors to enjoy a high level of comprehensive services. You are welcome to report and enjoy the CIIE. Thank you.

CCTV-2: The China (Xinjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone is about to celebrate its first anniversary. What achievements have been made in aligning with the high-standard economic and trade rules? What new measures will be taken to promote high-level opening-up in the future?

He Yadong: The China (Xinjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone is the first pilot FTZ in China’s northwestern border region, covering Urumqi, Kashgar and Horgos. Since the establishment of the pilot FTZ in 2023, MOFCOM and relevant ministries have actively supported Xinjiang in implementing the strategy of upgrading the pilot FTZ, injecting new impetus into promoting opening up on the west.

In promoting innovative development of trade, the pilot FTZ has actively expanded access for high-quality resources from China’s neighboring countries. The green channel of rapid customs clearance of agricultural and sideline products is opened at the border ports between China and Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, cutting the customs declaration time for agricultural exports from five days to just one day. In building an open industrial system with Xinjiang characteristics, the pilot FTZ has accelerated the development of refinery, chemical, textile and garment industries, and worked to build pioneering areas of new energy, new materials and other strategic emerging industries. A national cotton and textile trading center was established in Urumqi. In a bid to build Xinjiang into a transportation hub connecting China and Eurasia, the pilot FTZ has made every effort to foster national logistics hubs by land and by air. The expansion project of the China-Europe Railway Express assembly center and the multi-modal transport customs supervision center have been put into operation.

Going forward, we will work with Xinjiang to further implement the strategy of upgrading the pilot free trade zone and promote high-level opening up. First, we will promote the implementation of pilot measures benchmarked against high international standards and rules and improve the level of institutional opening up. We will help business entities to enjoy policy dividends, and ensure the implementation of pilot measures for replication and promotion. Second, we will continue to deepen opening up on the west and set a good example for high-quality development along the border. We will promote industrial exchanges and cooperation between the pilot FTZ and the central and eastern regions of China, support the pilot FTZ in focusing on key industries, and carry out integrated innovation across the whole industrial chain. Thank you.

CNBC: The European Commission announced its decision to impose definitive countervailing duties on electric vehicles imported from China for a period of five years, lower than the provisional duties announced in July. What is China’s response? According to media reports, China has advised Chinese car companies to suspend business expansion and investment plans in Europe. Could MOFCOM verify it?

He Yadong: Thank you for your two questions. On your first question. The EU has followed many unreasonable and non-compliant practices in the anti-subsidy investigation of China-made EVs. China has consistently put forward a comprehensive defense and has submitted a large number of comments and evidential materials to the EU, which have not been fully considered. We have noted that the definitive countervailing duty rates have been adjusted from the rates in the preliminary ruling in July, but the European side has not fundamentally changed its wrong approach. The ruling is not in line with WTO rules and fails to address the core concerns of Chinese and European businesses. China does not recognize nor accept it.

On your second question. China has always supported and encouraged mutually beneficial and normal economic, trade and investment cooperation in the automotive industry with Europe. China consistently adopts an open and cooperative attitude, adheres to a market-oriented approach, bases itself on full competition, and cooperates with relevant countries in the EV industry through trade, investment and technology, and jointly maintains the stability of the global automotive industry chain and supply chain. China is also committed to the green and low-carbon transformation and jointly addressing climate change. Thank you.