People's Daily:
The Central Economic Work Conference proposed that the micro-economy should continue to stimulate the vitality of market entities. How was the import and export performance of foreign trade market players last year? What measures did the GACC introduce to galvanize the foreign trade enterprises? Thank you.
Li Kuiwen:
Thank you for your question. In 2021, China's foreign trade businesses continued to gain momentum, which strongly supported the steady growth of foreign trade. The number of enterprises with substantive import and export achievements increased by 36,000 to 567,000. Among them, private enterprises remained the largest foreign trade entity in China, with imports and exports totaling 19 trillion yuan, up 26.7% and accounting for 48.6% of the country's total foreign trade. Imports and exports of foreign-invested companies remained stable at 14.03 trillion yuan, up 12.7%, and those of state-owned enterprises accelerated and rose by 27.7% to 5.94 trillion yuan.
To stimulate the vitality of foreign trade market players, the administration made efforts in the main following aspects in 2021:
First, we implemented the reforms to streamline administration and delegate power, improve regulation, and upgrade services, and enabled the filing of customs declaration entities to be addressed online in the whole process and anywhere across the country. We further deepened the reforms mentioned above, actively promoted the transformation from approval to filing of all the customs declaration entities, and introduced measures for the convenience and benefits of the people and enterprises, including the whole process of online filing anywhere nationwide. Under these measures, enterprises can log in the "China International Trade Single Window" or the "Online Customs" websites for filing across the country, and print the filing receipt after the local customs' review, moving the whole process online and making it paperless. If enterprises happen to choose the wrong local customs, the customs that receives the application should be responsible for handling the application, thus enabling enterprises to apply at any site nationwide and settle documentation all at once without any cost or travel.
Second, we have sped up the international mutual recognition and cooperation of AEOs to help enterprises enjoy convenience further afield. In doing this, we focused on Belt and Road countries, RCEP members, Central and Eastern European countries, and other major trading countries. Since 2021, China has completed AEO mutual recognition with Serbia, Chile, Uganda, Iran, and South Africa. To date, China has signed AEO mutual recognition agreements with 21 economies, including the European Union and Singapore, covering 47 countries and regions — the most in the world. Among them, 31 are Belt and Road countries, five are RCEP members, and 13 are Central and Eastern European countries. When China's AEO enterprises export goods to countries and regions with mutual recognition, they can enjoy the convenient measures offered by local customs, including reduced inspection, priority handling, the appointment of liaison officers, and prioritization of customs clearance during emergencies so as to reduce trade costs and enhance enterprises' vitality.
Third, we have strengthened intellectual property protection and boosted companies' innovation. We took stringent measures to crack down on intellectual property infringement and carried out a series of campaigns, including comprehensive intellectual property protection, intellectual property protection in shipping and delivery channels, and intellectual property protection for export transshipment goods. We also formulated a knowledge graph centering on intellectual property customs protection and developed and piloted a new-generation inspection management system featuring the use of intelligent identification of intellectual property and trademarks on mobile devices. We provided guidance and services regarding company-specific intellectual property protection and strengthened companies' awareness and capability in intellectual property protection. We continued to enhance law-enforcement cooperation across different departments, customs zones, and borders and cemented whole chain of intellectual property protection so as to better serve the innovative development of companies.
Next, the GACC will follow the requirements of boosting the confidence of foreign trade entities and deepen the reforms of streamlining administration and delegating power, improving regulation, and upgrading services. We will also improve the business environment at ports, help companies to address their difficulties and resume development, and further stimulate the vitality and growth momentum of foreign trade entities.
