Southern Metropolis Daily:

Private enterprises are the largest business entity in China's foreign trade. What are the outstanding characteristics of private enterprises' imports and exports this year? What has customs done to implement the country's major opinions on promoting the development of private economy? Thank you.

Lyu Daliang:

Thank you for your questions. Private enterprises have become a vital force in promoting Chinese modernization and are an indispensable and important foundation for high-quality development. They have played a positive role in stabilizing growth, promoting employment, and improving people's livelihoods. In the field of foreign trade, in the first three quarters, the import and export of China's private enterprises increased by 6.1%, which was significantly better than the overall rate. They stand as the backbone of stabilizing scale and optimizing structure. Specifically:

First, private enterprises are the main engine of foreign trade growth. In the first three quarters, the number of private enterprises actually involved in exports and imports was 511,800 in China, with a volume of 16.34 trillion yuan, accounting for 85.7% and 53.1% of the total, respectively. This marked an increase of 1.1 and 3.1 percentage points year on year, showcasing notable growth. At the same time, the monthly import and export performance of private enterprises was better than the overall performance. In August, the import and export figures turned positive ahead of the overall trend. In September, the growth rate increased by 4.1 percentage points to 6.6%, indicating a promising trend.

Second, private enterprises are a vital force in innovation and development. For example, private enterprises continue to play a leading role in green and low-carbon development. In the first three quarters, the proportion of private enterprises in the export of solar cells, lithium batteries, and electric passenger vehicles further increased to 78.9%, 59.9%, and 56.8%, respectively. Participation of private enterprises in the semiconductor industry also continues to increase. In the first three quarters, the proportion of private enterprises in integrated circuit imports and exports increased by 2.6 and 4.9 percentage points, respectively, to 42% and 32.8%.

Third, private enterprises are the vanguard of brand building. In recent years, a number of independent brands of private enterprises have emerged in China in the fields of photovoltaics, construction machinery, and consumer electronics, signifying the transition from "Made in China" to "Created in China," thereby further enhancing the reputation of the country's brands. In the first three quarters, among the solar cells, construction machinery, and computers exported by China's private enterprises, the proportions of self-owned brand products were 78%, 57.9%, and 52.4%, respectively.

Fourth, private enterprises are also a leading force in importing and exporting consumer goods. Their imports adapt to the diversified domestic needs and meet people's aspirations for a better life, while their exports provide high-quality products for the international market, benefiting consumers worldwide. In the first three quarters, private enterprises made up the largest part in imports of food, tobacco and alcohol; daily chemicals; and cultural and entertainment consumer goods in China, accounting for 70.7%, 53.9%, and 49.6%, respectively. During the same period, the private sector also stood as the leading force in the export of textiles, clothing, shoes, and bags and suitcases in our country, accounting for more than 80% of the total.

This year, the GAC has introduced 16 measures to optimize the business environment. All customs offices directly under the GAC have also introduced detailed supporting measures to strengthen policy synergies. They actively visited businesses to explain preferential policies, gather feedback, and address challenges, thereby supporting the stable development of foreign trade. As we implement these measures, policy benefits continue to deliver, gaining increasing satisfaction among foreign trade businesses. Going forward, the Customs will remain steadfast in executing the strategies set by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council to bolster private economy. We will focus on streamlining logistics, facilitating trade, alleviating business burdens, enhancing efficiency, and driving innovative growth, all to rejuvenate confidence within the private sector. Thank you.

Shou Xiaoli:

The last two questions, please.