The Paper: 

Building a globally oriented network of high-standard free trade zone is an important measure to align with the high-standard international economic and trade rules and promote institutional opening-up. What is the latest progress made by China in implementing the free trade zone upgrading strategy and building a high-standard free trade zone network? What will be the next step to upgrade the building of free trade zones? Thank you. 

Wang Wentao:

Thank you for your questions, and I will answer these questions as well. Your questions involve two aspects: One is about progress, and the other is how to improve next. 

First, through nearly 20 years of efforts, we have made more friends in the field of free trade, and the content of free trade agreements is increasingly rich in substance, and the level has also improved. A globally oriented network of high-standard free trade zones, which is based on the surrounding areas and stimulates the development of Belt and Road countries, is emerging. According to statistics, we have signed 19 free trade agreements with 26 countries and regions, and our trade partners cover Asia, Oceania, Latin America, Europe, and Africa. Our trade volume with free trade zone partners accounts for about 35% of our total trade. In particular, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) took effect on Jan. 1 this year, which drew close attention. It means that the world's most populous free trade zone with the largest economic and trade scale has been officially launched. We also took this opportunity and worked with five other departments to issue guidelines to promote high-quality RCEP implementation, and launched targeted training programs to improve capabilities of enterprises in making use of the RCEP. I also take this opportunity to call for all regions, departments, especially departments in charge of commerce, and some institutions, to help enterprises strengthen training in this regard and help them learn more about the content of RCEP. Meanwhile, we call for enterprises to search online, and relevant information is available on our website. If they still have questions, they can call us or email us, or contact departments in charge of commerce at all levels, including the MOFCOM. We are willing to help enterprises learn more about the agreement and help them make use of the clauses as soon as possible to inject new vitality into their development. As partners of the RCEP gradually cut their tariffs, I hope that enterprises pay attention to clauses on cumulation in the section of the rules of origin. Dividends of the RCEP will be released gradually, and they will get more real money benefits.

The second question is about how to improve next. We will resolutely implement the decisions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, and focus on expanding the coverage and improving the quality and efficiency, implement the strategy of upgrading free trade zones, promote better integration of the domestic and international markets and greater complementarity between domestic and global resources to provide institutional guarantee for higher-level opening up and serve the establishment of the new development paradigm. Last year, we formally applied to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA), which shows our determination and confidence in deepening reforms and opening up and genuine interest in enhancing global cooperation in the digital economy and promoting innovation and sustainable development. China has contacted, communicated, and negotiated with members of the two agreements. We have also taken the initiative to align ourselves with high-standard international economic and trade rules, comprehensively deepen reforms and accelerate institutional opening up.

Meanwhile, we are also working on free trade agreement negotiations, including China-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), China-Ecuador, China-Israel, China-Norway and China-Japan-ROK free trade agreements, and have actively promoted the upgrade of free trade agreements, such as the 3.0 version of China-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) free trade agreement. We are also willing to hold discussions with other economies and countries to explore the signing of free trade agreements. We have actively participated in negotiations on new rules of digital economy, environmental protection and other fields to jointly promote regional economic integration and the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment. Thank you.