SME Cooperation Forum

Forum 2012 on China Import Held in Shanghai

Forum 2012 on China Import, sponsored by MOFCOM, was opened in Shanghai on November 16. Mr. Zhong Shan, Vice Minister of Commerce and Deputy International Trade Representative, delivered a keynote speech on “Doing a Good Job in Imports, and Promoting Coordinated Development of Foreign Trade".

Mr. Zhong said that China has integrated into economic globalization since its accession to the WTO, and has attached importance to both imports and exports, China’s imports has kept increasing, and promoting domestic economic development, and making a positive contribution to global economic development. Firstly, imports have provided a strong support for the sustainable and rapid growth of Chinese economy; Secondly, the size of import ranks second in the world, with goods imports soaring from US$ 295.3 billion in 2002 to US$ 1.7 trillion in 2011; Thirdly, import structure has been improved gradually, and the proportion of general trade in total imports rose from 43.7% to 57.8%; Fourthly, the opening up of market has been improved constantly, with overall import tariffs reduced to 9.8%, much lower than the average tariff level of 46.6% in developing countries.

Mr. Zhong said that China's import growth is facing new challenges since 2012 affected by such factors as domestic economic growth slow-down, depressed export market and significant fall in import price of certain large quantity commodities. The Chinese government has implemented the Guidance of the State Council on Enhancing Imports issued in April 2012, optimizing the structure of import tariff, and enhancing trade facilitation, strengthening the role of trade fairs in promoting imports, and fostering the development of the import cluster district, and has organized Chinese trade missions to purchase overseas, and positive results were achieved.

Mr. Zhong stressed that China has great potentials for imports, which will bring great opportunities for foreign suppliers and Chinese importers. And promoting sustainable development of China’s imports requires domestic and overseas efforts. It is necessary for foreign government departments and industries to expand trade with China, and push forward bilateral trade of large quantity commodities. Some major developed countries should speed up to phased out the restrictions on high-tech exports to China. And the Chinese government will further optimize import structure, continue to promote import facilitation, and improve the promotion system for imports.

Hadil da Rocha Viana, Brazilian Deputy Foreign Minister, and Ai Baojun, Vice Mayor of Shanghai, delivered speech respectively. About 200 representatives from relevant departments of the State Council, all local commerce departments, industrial intermediary organizations, enterprises, foreign embassies and consulates, and trade promotion agencies, and relevant experts and scholars attended the forum.

The forum was divided into two parts: In part one, experts from government and industries communicated on trade facilitation and promotion; and part two was trade promotions among overseas trade promotion agencies, China’s imports fairs and imports clusters.