Work Together Towards a Bright, Open and Prosperous Future

Work Together Towards a Bright, Open and Prosperous Future*

November 4, 2022

Your Excellencies Heads of State and Government,
Your Excellencies Heads of International Organizations,
Your Excellencies Heads of Delegations,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Dear friends,

Good evening. On behalf of the Chinese government and people and also in my own name, I would like to extend a warm welcome and heartfelt greetings to all our guests attending the Fifth China International Import Expo (CIIE).

Five years ago, I announced the decision to hold the CIIE for the purpose of expanding China’s opening up and turning our enormous market into an enormous opportunity for the world. Today, the CIIE has become a showcase of China’s new development dynamic, a platform for high-standard opening up, and a public good for the whole world.

Openness is a key driving force behind the progress of human civilizations and a sure path towards global prosperity and development. Today’s world is experiencing an accelerating rate of change on a scale unseen in a century, while also grappling with sluggish economic recovery. We should pursue openness to meet development challenges, foster synergy for cooperation, increase the momentum of innovation, and deliver benefits to all. We should steadily advance economic globalization, increase dynamism in every country’s growth prospects, and provide all nations with greater and fairer access to the fruits of development.

Ladies and gentlemen,
Dear friends,

As emphasized by the Communist Party of China at its 20th National Congress, China remains committed to the fundamental national policy of opening up to the outside world, pursues a mutually beneficial strategy, and adheres to the right course in economic globalization. We will amplify the interplay between domestic and international markets and resources, strive to create new opportunities for the world with our own development, and contribute our share to building an open world economy.

- China will work with all countries and all parties to share the opportunities available in its vast market. We will step up efforts to cultivate a robust domestic market, move our trade in goods upmarket, develop new mechanisms for trade in services, and import more quality products. To encourage innovation in trade and promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, we will establish pilot zones for Silk Road e-commerce cooperation, and build national demonstration zones for the innovation-driven development of trade in services.

- China will work with all countries and all parties to share the opportunities offered by its institutional opening up. We will steadily expand institutional opening up with regard to rules, regulations, management and standards, put into full effect the new Catalogue of Encouraged Industries for Foreign Investment, and further develop the national integrated demonstration zones for greater openness in the service sector. We will upgrade pilot free trade zones, accelerate development of the Hainan Free Trade Port, and tap into their role as comprehensive pilot platforms for reform and opening up.

- China will work with all countries and all parties to share opportunities for deeper international cooperation. To foster new drivers for global growth, we will engage fully in WTO reform negotiations, promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and rein­ force international macroeconomic policy coordination. To expand the globally oriented network of high-standard free trade areas, we will endeavor to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement. We will firmly support other developing countries, help them to grow faster, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

Ladies and gentlemen,
Dear friends,

“After endless mountains and rivers that appear to offer no egress, one suddenly encounters the shade of a willow, bright flowers, and a lovely village.” As these lines of an ancient Chinese poem suggest, the path unfolds before us, and a brighter future beckons. China is ready to work with all countries to practice true multilateralism, build greater consensus around openness, overcome the difficulties and challenges confronting global economic growth, and ensure that our commitment to openness will bring broad prospects for global development.

Thank you.

* Speech via video link at the opening ceremony of the Fifth China International Import Expo.

(Not to be republished for any commercial or other purposes.)