Hong Kong Bauhinia Magazine:

As mentioned in the report to the 20th CPC National Congress, the Belt and Road Initiative has become a popular international public good and cooperation platform. Last year, China's trade with countries along the Belt and Road grew faster than the overall growth rate. What are the highlights? Thanks!

Lyu Daliang:

Thanks for your question. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. Since its proposal, China's trade with countries along the Belt and Road has become increasingly close. From 2013 to 2022, China's imports and exports with countries along the Belt and Road registered an average annual growth of 8.6%. In 2022, China's trade with countries along the Belt and Road continued to maintain rapid growth, with imports and exports rising 19.4% year on year to 13.83 trillion yuan, 11.7 percentage points higher than the overall growth rate. Among them, exports hit 7.89 trillion yuan, up 20%, and imports reached 5.94 trillion yuan, up 18.7%. Major highlights include the following aspects.

First, its share of China's foreign trade continued to rise. In 2022, China's import and export volume with countries along the Belt and Road reached a record high, accounting for 32.9% of China's total foreign trade, up 3.2 percentage points from the previous year and 7.9 percentage points from 2013 when the Belt and Road Initiative was proposed. 

Second, China's imports and exports with the five Central Asian countries, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and other trading partners grew rapidly. In 2022, China's imports and exports with the five Central Asian countries, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia increased by 45.4%, 42.1% and 37.2%, respectively. In the same period, China's imports and exports with ASEAN increased by 15% to 6.52 trillion yuan, accounting for 47.1% of the total value of China's imports and exports with countries along the Belt and Road.

Third, the industrial and supply chains between China and BRI countries have become even more complementary. In 2022, China's exports of intermediate products to BRI countries amounted to 4.44 trillion yuan, up 23.9%, accounting for 56.3% of China's total exports to BRI countries during the same period. Specifically, exports of textiles, electronic components, basic organic chemicals, and auto parts increased by 14.5%, 21.1%, 31.3%, and 24.6%, respectively. In the same period, China's imports of energy and agricultural products saw steady growth, reaching 2.46 trillion yuan and 370.41 billion yuan, up 58.8% and 13.4%, respectively.

Fourth, trade between China's private businesses and BRI countries has shown greater vitality. In 2022, the foreign trade of China's private companies with BRI countries totaled 7.85 trillion yuan, up 26.7%. The figure accounts for 56.8% of China's total trade volume with BRI countries in the same period, up 3.3 percentage points compared with the previous year.

In 2022, the GACC earnestly studied and put into practice the guiding principles of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech at the third symposium on the BRI. The GACC took the initiative to promote trade facilitation and security, and work toward the high-quality development of the BRI. First, Chinese customs actively expanded imports of high-quality agricultural products and foods from BRI countries. In 2022, Chinese customs signed 73 documents on inspection and quarantine cooperation with BRI countries, offering quarantine access or enabling trading activities for 60 kinds of agricultural products and foods. Second, focusing on BRI countries, Chinese customs promoted international mutual accreditation of and cooperation on Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programs and advanced cooperation and exchanges on "single-window customs clearance" for international trade to further improve trade facilitation. Third, Chinese customs doubled efforts to streamline customs clearance procedures for China-Europe freight trains. At the beginning of 2022, the Partnership Program of Customs-Railway Operators for Promoting the Safety and Rapid Customs Clearance of China Railway Express (PPCR) between China and Kazakhstan began its trial phase at the Alashankou Port and Horgos Port. The PPCR arrangement between China and Belarus is also making accelerated progress in a bid to promote unimpeded trade.

Looking ahead, the customs authorities will focus on the high-quality development of the BRI, put into practice the concept of "Smart Customs, Smart Borders, Smart Connectivity ," and broaden and deepen cooperation with customs agencies of BRI countries and regions. In this way, we aim to make greater contributions to promoting policy coordination, infrastructure connectivity, and unimpeded trade. Thank you.