The Poster News APP:

China's circle of friends has constantly expanded over the recent years, and the markets have been further diversified. Could you please brief us on this respect? What have the customs authorities done in this regard? Thank you. 

Lyu Daliang:

Thank you for your question. Promoting the diversity of the trading market is an inherent requirement and a distinctive feature of China's stable trade development. Over the recent years, Chinese foreign trade enterprises have taken the initiative, responded to the changes in the international market, upheld the pioneering spirit, and broke new grounds. While stabilizing the economic and trade exchanges with developed economies, these enterprises have also expanded markets in developing countries and regions like ASEAN, making positive progress in diversifying the trading market. Just as you said that China's circle of friends is expanding, the circle of friends of China's foreign trade is also continuously expanding. 

Here are some examples. As the economic and trade cooperation between China and ASEAN goes deeper, ASEAN has remained China's largest trading partner for three consecutive years since 2020. China's trade with Latin America exceeded three trillion yuan in 2022, registering positive growth for six years in a row. Recently, the five Central Asian countries have become a new growth driver of China's foreign trade, with the growth rate of China's trade with the five countries 38 percentage points higher than the overall growth rate in the same period. Not long ago, the China-Africa Trade Index was released at the third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo. The index climbed to 990.55 points in 2022 from a benchmark of 100 points in 2000, which has comprehensively reflected the fast development of China-Africa trade. 

Since the beginning of this year, the in-person foreign exchanges at various levels in China have been fully restored, and a number of major diplomatic events have been hosted. This has fostered a more favorable environment for developing multilateral economic and trade relations, expanding all-round economic and trade cooperation, and promoting the diversity of the trading market. In the first half of this year, China's trade with ASEAN, Latin America, Africa, and the five Central Asian countries increased by 5.4%, 7%, 10.5%, and 35.6%, respectively, year on year, all higher than the overall growth rate in the same period. 

While advancing trade diversity, the customs authorities have actively performed their responsibilities and duties and fully served national diplomacy, securing a series of positive outcomes. For example, we have actively participated in the China-Central Asia Summit and contributed to securing seven outcomes during the summit. We have helped establish a mechanism for meetings among the heads of customs of China and Central Asian countries. Ten bilateral documents were signed in the presence of President Xi Jinping and the heads of state of the five Central Asian countries, meaning that we signed bilateral documents with all attending countries during the diplomatic event at home. Under the framework of the third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, we hosted the China-Africa Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Cooperation Forum, where a joint statement on the SPS cooperation was issued, an information website on the SPS cooperation was launched, and agricultural and food product market access agreements were signed with representatives from Zimbabwe and Madagascar. After China and Honduras established diplomatic relations in March, China's customs authorities have actively responded to Honduras' demands for exporting agricultural products to China. In the presence of President Xi Jinping and Honduran President Iris Xiomara Castro Sarmiento, the two sides, based on a scientific assessment of risks, signed protocol documents for exporting Honduran aquaculture products, unprocessed coffee beans, fresh bananas, and other products to China. The two sides also signed two memorandums on import and export inspection and quarantine.

Going forward, Chinese customs will continue to strengthen communication and coordination with customs inspection and quarantine departments of all countries. We will deepen cooperation in areas such as further enhancing trade facilitation and optimizing the business environment at ports, and continuously smooth international supply chains. This will help China expand diversified international markets and develop pluralistic and stable international economic and trade relations. Thank you.