Premier Li Qiang Investigates Construction of Pilot Free Trade Zone in Shanghai
SHANGHAI, July 27th – Li Qiang, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Premier of the State Council, conducted an investigation into the construction of the Pilot Free Trade Zone in Shanghai from July 26 to 27. During his visit, Li emphasized the importance of fully implementing General Secretary Xi Jinping’s instructions on the construction of the Pilot Free Trade Zone and called for the vigorous implementation of the strategy to upgrade the zone.
Li Qiang visited several companies in the Shanghai Lingang area to gain a deeper understanding of their efforts in the promotion of remanufacturing and intelligent manufacturing. At Volvo Construction Equipment (China) Co., Ltd., Li Qiang learned about the company’s promotion of remanufacturing and emphasized the mutually beneficial relationship between foreign companies and China’s development. Li urged more foreign companies to seize opportunities in the Chinese market.
Li Qiang also addressed the issue of cross-border flow and management of data, highlighting its significance to all parties involved. He encouraged enterprises to actively explore and accumulate practical experience in order to improve relevant systems and regulations. At Lenze (Shanghai) Transmission System Co., Ltd. and Volvo Construction Equipment (China) Co., Ltd., Li Qiang further familiarized himself with the enterprises’ promotion of intelligent manufacturing and stressed the importance of creating an open functional platform, industrial ecology, and business environment.
During the symposium, Li Qiang listened to reports from the Ministry of Commerce and relevant officials from Shanghai, Beijing, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Henan, Hubei, Guangdong, and Shaanxi. He highlighted the construction of pilot free trade zones as an important strategic move for reform and opening up. Li commended the Pilot Free Trade Zone for its role in promoting institutional innovation and its contribution to the country’s reform and opening up process.
Looking towards the future, Li Qiang called for the Pilot Free Trade Zone to vigorously implement the strategy of upgrading from a new starting point. He emphasized the need for leading institutional innovations and high-level open platforms to strengthen the new momentum for the development of modern industries. Li stressed the importance of achieving a higher level of freedom and convenience for trade in goods, leading the innovative development of trade in services, and deepening reform and opening up in key areas. He also emphasized the importance of exploring and building a new model of cross-border data management and adhering to the linkage between the upper and lower levels.
Premier Li Qiang commended the achievements of Shanghai’s economic and social development and called on relevant provinces and cities to fully implement the Party Central Committee’s decision-making and deployment on economic work. He expressed hope that they will make further contributions to the overall development of the country.
Chen Jining and Wu Zhenglong also participated in the investigation.
[Responsible editor: Zhang Xinran]