CCTV:

The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee proposed to guide the rational, and orderly distribution of industrial and supply chains overseas. What measures has MOFCOM taken in the first half of this year to facilitate international cooperation in industrial and supply chains? Thank you.

Yan Dong:

Thanks for your question. I will take this question. MOFCOM has resolutely implemented the guiding principles from the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and achieved positive results in facilitating international cooperation in industrial and supply chains through integrated development of trade and investment.

Since the beginning of this year, outbound investment and cooperation have developed in a healthier and more orderly manner, and enterprises have taken a more rational and steady approach to open businesses overseas. From January to June this year, China's non-financial outward direct investment reached 453.1 billion yuan, and the turnover of contracted overseas projects reached 606.3 billion yuan. Among them, the proportion of investment, as well as the turnover of overseas contracted projects in BRI partner countries increased to 26.7% and 85.9% respectively. Overseas economic and trade cooperation zones have developed rapidly. The cumulative investment in cooperation zones included in the statistics of MOFCOM has reached nearly 56 billion yuan, making positive contributions to the economic and social development of China and host countries and the stability of the global industrial and supply chains. Referring to guiding the rational and orderly distribution of industrial and supply chains overseas, we have mainly carried out the following work:

First, we effectively managed outbound investment. China accelerated legislation on outbound investment. The State Council issued the regulations on outbound investment, which for the first time clarified the systems for supervision, service, and protection of outbound investment in the form of State Council regulation, providing strong legal protection for the healthy and orderly development of outbound investment. We continued to promote the facilitation of outbound investment. As of the first half of this year, commerce authorities across the country had issued 72,000 electronic licenses for outbound investment and will accelerate their promotion and application.

Second, we improved comprehensive overseas service. We implemented the guiding opinions on further improving the overseas comprehensive service system, and accelerated the construction of "one port, one station, and one platform." In February of this year, a national comprehensive overseas service platform was launched, linking more than 1,000 websites and forming a "single window" or "one-stop" overseas service platform. We guided local commerce authorities to develop comprehensive overseas service ports as conditions allowed, and promoted the establishment of comprehensive overseas service stations in key countries and regions, creating an overseas service ecosystem that links central and local governments, coordinates regions, whilst gathering resources, and connecting both domestic and international markets.

Third, we promoted the development of bilateral investment cooperation mechanisms. We deepened bilateral cooperation in areas such as green development, digital economy, green mining, new infrastructure, and new energy, established cooperation mechanisms of industrial and supply chains with relevant countries, signed cooperation documents of industrial and supply chains in relevant fields, and promoted the establishment of equal, reciprocal, inclusive, and constructive partnerships for global industrial and supply chains, cultivating a global market for shared and win-win development.

Fourth, we strengthened overseas risk prevention and control and the protection of overseas interests. We implemented the regulations of the State Council on the security of industrial and supply chains and issued and implemented the measures for the security investigation of industrial and supply chains, enhancing the capacity for ensuring industrial and supply chains security. We implemented the two guidelines for corporate integrity and compliance and fulfillment of social responsibility overseas, guiding enterprises to operate in accordance with laws and regulations and actively fulfill their social responsibilities. We promptly sent security information and early warnings to Chinese-funded enterprises and business associations overseas to protect their security, rights and interests.

Going forward, MOFCOM will thoroughly implement the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, take high-quality Belt and Road cooperation as its guide, continue to improve the management and service system for outbound investment and cooperation, and advance international industrial chain cooperation by integrating trade and investment. Thank you.