China.org.cn | September 10, 2024
Xing Huina:
The floor is now open to questions. Please identify your news agency before asking your questions.
Beijing Youth Daily:
Recently released data shows China's total import and export value of goods exceeded 21 trillion yuan in the first half of the year, up 6.1% year on year. This scale set a new record for the same period. How does MOFCOM view foreign trade performance in the first half of the year, and what are its evaluations and views on future foreign trade trends? Thank you.
Li Yongjie:
Thank you for your question. In the first half of this year, foreign trade operations have shown steady progress. Our goods trade has demonstrated strong resilience and market vitality, characterized by increased volume, improved quality and a stable market share.
From a quantity perspective, we've maintained scale. Here are some numbers: First, in the first half of the year, the total import and export value of goods reached 21.2 trillion yuan, a record high for the same period, up 6.1% year on year. The daily average import and export value was 116.31 billion yuan, which is over 40% higher than in the same period in 2019. Net export of goods and services contributed 0.7 percentage point to GDP growth. Second, export and import quantities increased by 12.7% and 3.1%, respectively, indicating active cross-border movement of goods. Foreign trade cargo throughput at national ports rose 8.8% in the first half of the year. Third, the number of foreign trade entities involved in exports and imports increased to 586,000, up 8.7% year on year, adding 47,000 entities, further boosting corporate vitality.
From the perspective of quality, the structure continues to be optimized. First, trade cooperation with emerging markets has deepened, with the proportion of our imports and exports with these markets rising to 64.9%. At the 135th Canton Fair, buyer attendance from Belt and Road partner countries increased by 25%, and transactions were also very active. Second, the export products have been continuously improved, with electromechanical products now comprising 58.9% of exports. High-tech and high-value-added products maintained rapid growth, with automobile and ship exports increasing by 22.2% and 91.1%, respectively. Electronic information products steadily recovered, with exports of integrated circuits and household appliances growing by 25.6% and 18.3%, respectively. Third, new drivers of foreign trade show positive progress. According to preliminary estimates by the General Administration of Customs, cross-border e-commerce imports and exports reached 1.22 trillion yuan in the first half of the year, up 10.5%, involving over 120,000 business entities. We actively pursued international cooperation on trade digitalization and sustainability. We've reached agreements on the Initiative on International Trade and Economic Cooperation Framework for Digital Economy and Green Development with 39 countries. The market for green and low-carbon products is vast, with new energy vehicles exported to over 170 countries and regions. Fourth, the international market share remained stable with some growth. In the first quarter, the export international market share was 13.6%, a 0.2 percentage point increase year on year. China continued to maintain its position as the world's largest goods trading nation. Preliminary estimates indicate that the share stabilized at around 14% in the first half of the year.
Currently, the external environment's complexity and severity are increasing. We must fully recognize the serious difficulties and challenges in foreign trade. Several international organizations report that the global trade in goods has shown a moderate recovery since early this year. However, geopolitical tensions, increasing trade restrictions and intensified national industrial policy competition may have significant negative impacts. The WTO's latest monitoring shows a significant increase in members' import restrictions. Measures taking effect in 2024 are expected to affect $2.3 trillion worth of imports, 9.7% of global imports — the highest level since 2020.
Maintaining stable growth in both the quality and volume of foreign trade this year will require continued efforts in the second half. We will make good use of various multilateral and bilateral mechanisms to help businesses counter unreasonable trade restrictions, support enterprises in exploring international markets through platforms like the Canton Fair, and work to create a stable and predictable trade policy environment. Additionally, we will intensify efforts to cultivate new drivers of foreign trade and enhance the overall competitiveness of foreign trade. At the same time, we will continue to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with trade partners to jointly maintain the stability and smooth operation of global industrial and supply chains. Thank you.