Recently, the General Office of the State Council issued the “Opinions on Promoting the Stable Scale and Optimal Structure of Foreign Trade” (hereinafter referred to as “Opinions”).
The “Opinions” pointed out that foreign trade is an important part of the national economy, and promoting foreign trade to stabilize its scale and optimize its structure plays an important role in supporting stable growth and employment, building a new development pattern, and promoting high-quality development. It is necessary to fully implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, make greater efforts to promote the stable scale and excellent structure of foreign trade, and ensure the realization of the goal of promoting stability and improving quality of import and export.
The “Opinions” proposes five policy measures, the main contents of which include:
One is to strengthen trade and promote market expansion. Promote the full recovery of domestic offline exhibitions. Further increase support for foreign trade enterprises to participate in various overseas exhibitions, continue to cultivate overseas self-organized exhibitions, and expand the scale of exhibitions. Continue to provide convenience for foreign businessmen to apply for visas in China. Promote the safe and orderly recovery of international passenger flights, especially those in key domestic aviation hubs, as soon as possible. Our embassies and consulates abroad have increased their support for foreign trade companies, especially small, medium and micro foreign trade companies, to expand their markets.
The second is to stabilize and expand the scale of import and export of key products. Organize automobile companies and shipping companies to conduct direct passenger docking, and guide automobile companies to sign medium and long-term agreements with shipping companies. Guarantee the reasonable capital demand for large-scale complete equipment projects. Encourage all localities to ensure the employment needs of enterprises through recruitment services and other means. Accelerate the revision of catalogs that encourage imported technologies and products.
The third is to increase fiscal and financial support. Study the establishment of the second phase of the Service Trade Innovation Development Guidance Fund. Commercial financial institutions further enhance the service capabilities of branches in the central and western regions in terms of trade financing and settlement. Encourage government financing guarantee institutions to provide financing and credit enhancement support for qualified small and micro foreign trade enterprises. Further expand the scale and coverage of export credit insurance. Encourage financial institutions to innovate and improve foreign exchange derivatives and cross-border RMB business, and further expand the scale of RMB settlement for cross-border trade.
The fourth is to accelerate the innovation and development of foreign trade. We will hold the China Processing Trade Products Expo well, and support industrial exchanges and docking between the eastern, central and western regions. Accelerate the implementation of a number of key bonded maintenance pilot projects with “two ends outside”. Revise and promulgate the management measures for border residents’ mutual market trade. Support large-scale foreign trade enterprises to use new technologies to build their own digital platforms, and cultivate third-party comprehensive digital solution providers serving small, medium and micro foreign trade enterprises. Support foreign trade enterprises to expand sales channels and cultivate independent brands through new formats and models such as cross-border e-commerce.
Fifth, optimize the environment for foreign trade development. Deeply promote the construction of “single window”, expand the scope of application of measures such as “linkage unloading” and “direct lifting by ship’s side” to improve the efficiency of cargo circulation. Improve the efficiency of customs clearance at the port, strengthen the diversion and diversion, make up for the shortcomings of the channel, and improve the ability of the port to pass goods. Encourage and guide local organizations to promote trade with free trade partners such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
The “Opinions” require that all localities, relevant departments and units should follow the guidance of Xi Jinping’s new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, attach great importance to, and earnestly do a good job in promoting foreign trade to stabilize the scale and optimize the structure, and make every effort to achieve the goal of promoting stability and improving quality of imports and exports. . Encourage localities to introduce supporting policies according to local conditions to enhance policy synergy. Closely track the operation of foreign trade, analyze the changes in the situation, constantly enrich, adjust and improve relevant policies in response to practical problems in different fields, strengthen cooperation and policy guidance, implement a combination of stable foreign trade policies, and help companies stabilize orders and expand markets.
Editor: Nie Yue