CGTN:

China has been following the trend of regional economic integration, and actively promoted the building of FTZs. At the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC decided to advance the Free Trade Area Strategy. Then, at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, it announced that the nation would implement the strategy of upgrading FTZs. Moreover, the report to the 20th CPC National Congress proposed to expand the globally-oriented network of high-standard free trade areas. My questions are, what achievements have been made so far in relation to these fields? What kinds of considerations will the ministry take into account for the next step?

Wang Wentao:

Mr. Wang Shouwen will answer this question.

Wang Shouwen:

Thank you for your questions. The Party Central Committee has attached great importance to the construction of FTZs and free trade agreements. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, a series of arrangements have been made. The Ministry of Commerce has paid great attention to the Free Trade Area Strategy and adopted measures to implement this strategy, as made by the Party Central Committee. As such, we have seen many achievements.

First, the circle of friends of the free trade zone is expanding. Before the 18th CPC National Congress, we built 10 FTZs; after the 18th CPC National Congress, we added nine FTZs in the past 10 years. There were 18 free trade partners before the 18th CPC National Congress, and now we have 26. It can be said that we have initially established a network of free trade agreements with neighboring countries as the basis that will also benefit the Belt and Road participants and serve the whole globe. In particular, we made some new progress in the construction of the FTZ last year. The Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) and the protocol on upgrading the China-New Zealand free trade agreement were launched. We also signed an FTA early harvest agreement and launched FTA negotiations with Nicaragua. We also started the Version 3.0 China-ASEAN Free Trade Area negotiations and made positive progress in the FTA negotiations with six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). After these FTAs came into effect, they played a vital role in our foreign trade. So far, the import and export volume with our FTA partners reached 14.25 trillion yuan last year, rising by 7.7% over the same period, accounting for 34% of our total foreign trade.

Second, the world's largest free trade bloc was officially launched, that is, the RCEP agreement officially entered into force on Jan. 1 last year, giving a strong impetus to the growth of trade and investment within our region and globally. After this agreement entered into force, the Ministry of Commerce attached great importance to it, and we, together with five other departments, issued the Guidelines on High-Quality RCEP Implementation to promote the formation of good experiences and innovative practices in the implementation of RCEP in more than 30 provincial-level regions. We have also carried out a series of external works to enhance the implementation of RCEP. For example, some countries have signed the RCEP agreement, but their parliaments have yet to ratify them. Therefore, China and other countries have worked together on it, and now all 15 member countries have ratified the agreement. Last year, China's exports to other RCEP members grew by 17.5%, accounting for 27.6% of China's total exports. RCEP has played a vital role in the development of our foreign trade.

Third, we have made progress in actively promoting accession to high-standard economic and trade agreements, such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the DEPA, which represent the highest international standards in the field of economic and trade rules. In relation to the CPTPP, China has had extensive contact and exchanges with its members at different levels. For the DEPA, we have also had excellent communication with its members. On Aug. 18 last year, members of the DEPA agreement decided to set up a working group for China's accession. In November last year, the three members of DEPA and China held a quadripartite ministerial conference. In December last year, the quadripartite held a kick-off meeting of chief negotiators. In addition, we attach great importance to the construction of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) and support the promotion of some work plans within the framework of APEC to promote the FTAAP to take more steps forward.

The reporter mentioned earlier that the 20th CPC National Congress proposed to expand the globally-oriented network of high-standard free trade areas. Last year's Central Economic Work Conference also stressed that China will actively seek to join high-standard economic and trade agreements such as the CPTPP and the DEPA, and to deepen domestic reforms to align with high-standard international economic and trade rules, regulations and management. In this regard, the MOFCOM, in accordance with the deployment of the CPC Central Committee, will continue to expand its globally-oriented network of high-standard free trade areas, and we are prepared to take a series of measures to fully implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress.

First, we will seek progress while maintaining stability and improving the comprehensive utilization rate of existing FTAs. We will improve the utilization rate of the 19 FTAs just mentioned and give full play to their benefits. Last year, the comprehensive utilization rate of the 19 FTAs was nearly 80%, with some exceeding 98%, but the utilization rate of some FTAs is still relatively low. Therefore, we have to take a series of measures to guide enterprises through training to use these FTAs well and give full play to them, laying a better foundation for expanding the globally-oriented network of high-standard free trade areas.

Second, we will comprehensively promote the Version 3.0 China-ASEAN FTA negotiations this year. We hope to create new highlights like the digital and green economy to make this agreement stay up-to-date with the times and make it more modern. In February this year, we completed the FTA with Ecuador and aimed to sign it this year formally. We also strive to complete the FTA negotiations with Nicaragua this year. We continue to promote the FTA negotiations with the GCC, Israel, and other countries and regions and strive to make more progress. We also have some upgraded FTA negotiations with Peru, South Korea, and Singapore and we strive to achieve good results.

Third, we will continue to facilitate the process of joining CPTPP and DEPA. In terms of CPTPP, Mr. Wang Wentao mentioned that our domestic pilot FTZs should deepen reforms in accordance with the high standards and rules of CPTPP, and we will work on these goals. As for DEPA, we have made a series of arrangements, including ministerial-level as well as department or bureau-level negotiations, to make substantive progress in joining DEPA. Regarding APEC, we will continue to promote the development of the FTAAP, further contribute to regional development, and work with all parties to advance regional economic integration. Thank you.