SCIO briefing on China's imports, exports in Q1 2025

CMG:

This year's government work report emphasized the importance of "vigorously encouraging foreign investment." Just now, it was also noted that imports and exports of foreign-invested enterprises continued to grow in the first quarter. Could you please provide more details? Thank you.

Wang Lingjun:

Thank you for your question. Foreign-invested enterprises play a key role in Chinese modernization. They are major contributors to China's reform, opening up, and innovation efforts, and serve as vital links connecting China with the world and integrating it into the global economy. According to statistics, foreign-invested enterprises have accounted for roughly one-third of China's total foreign trade over the past five years.

In the first quarter of this year, more than 67,000 foreign-invested enterprises recorded import and export activity, marking the highest level for this period in the past three years. Their total trade reached 2.99 trillion yuan, maintaining growth for the fourth consecutive quarter. Notably, foreign-invested enterprises accounted for over 40% of China's imports and exports of high-tech products, including electronic information products, biopharmaceuticals and medical instruments.

At present, China has fully lifted foreign investment restrictions in the manufacturing sector, while the green, digital and intelligent transformation of industries is accelerating. Meanwhile, the country continues tofoster a first-rate business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized. These efforts will help foreign-invested enterprises fully leverage their strengths in China and gain a competitive edge in the global market. On March 28, President Xi Jinping met with representatives of the international business community and delivered an important speech that greatly boosted confidence among foreign investors. TheChina Development Forum 2025 was recently held in Beijing, attracting 86 official representatives from multinational companies across 21 countries. The number of first-time attendees from multinational companies also reached a record high, reflecting widespread confidence among foreign-invested enterprises in China's growth prospects. Thank you.