Expanding high-level opening-up to the outside world

To further expand high-level opening up to the outside world, we must follow the new trend and promote the transformation of opening up from a commodity and factor flow oriented opening up to an institutional opening up based on rules, regulations, management, standards, and other factors

The China Kazakhstan Khorgos International Border Cooperation Center straddles the border between China and Kazakhstan. With a total area of 5.6 square kilometers, there are numerous merchants and a wide range of goods. Citizens of China and Kazakhstan and citizens of a third country can enter and leave China without a visa for 30 days. Each person entering China's territory from the Center can carry 8000 yuan of duty-free goods every day. The bustling trade scene has added another dynamic footnote to the promotion of high-level opening-up to the outside world.

General Secretary Xi Jinping deeply pointed out that "opening up to the outside world is a fundamental national policy of China and cannot be shaken at any time." The Central Economic Work Conference held at the end of 2023 systematically deployed key tasks for doing a good job in economic work in 2024, one of which is to "expand high-level opening up to the outside world.". Openness is a distinct symbol of contemporary China. At present, China's economy has deeply integrated into the world economy, consolidating and enhancing the trend of economic recovery. It is necessary to accelerate the cultivation of new momentum in foreign trade, consolidate the basic situation of foreign trade and foreign investment, further promote the development of foreign trade to promote stability and quality, and make greater efforts to attract and utilize foreign investment. We will continuously provide new impetus and opportunities for high-quality development to the world, injecting strong momentum into building an open world economy.

Over the past 40 years, China's economic development has been achieved under open conditions, and in the future, high-quality development of the Chinese economy must also be achieved under more open conditions. The 6th China International Import Expo, held in November 2023, achieved an annual transaction volume of 78.41 billion US dollars in just 6 days, setting a new record in history. A higher level of opening up to the outside world can not only better meet the upgrading needs of domestic consumption, but also enhance China's voice on the world economic stage. Shaping new driving forces and advantages for high-quality development through high-level opening up to the outside world will fully unleash the enormous potential and strong driving forces for China's development. Effectively coordinating the domestic and international situations, fully utilizing the two markets and resources, and adhering to the implementation of larger scope, wider fields, and deeper levels of opening up to the outside world, can promote high-quality development through high-level opening up.

To further expand high-level opening up to the outside world, we must follow the new trend and promote the transformation of opening up from a commodity and factor flow oriented opening up to a system oriented opening up based on rules, regulations, management, standards, and other factors. Since last year, the global trade and investment recovery has been weak, with sluggish demand in major markets. In the face of pressure and challenges, we launched 9 policies and measures to facilitate cross-border trade and investment and financing, increased the number of comprehensive pilot projects to expand the opening up of the service industry to 11, issued 24 policies and measures to stabilize foreign investment, and announced eight actions to support high-quality joint construction of the "the Belt and Road"... A series of policies to stabilize foreign trade and foreign investment have concentrated efforts and overcome difficulties. In November 2023, China's export volume ended a six-month decline trend, while import trade volume maintained a positive growth for 10 consecutive months. The actual scale of foreign investment used was at a historical high, and China has become synonymous with the best investment destination and remains the largest engine of global growth. In the new situation, we should take promoting the construction of an open system for win-win cooperation as the starting point, actively optimize the business environment, and create more investment and growth opportunities.

China's development cannot do without the world, and world development also requires China. Looking ahead to the future, maintaining strategic composure, strengthening confidence in victory, continuously expanding the breadth and depth of opening up to the outside world, synergistically promoting the expansion of domestic demand, supply side structural reform, and high-level opening up to the outside world, and continuously building a market-oriented, rule of law, and internationalized first-class business environment, we will definitely win the initiative of economic development with the initiative of opening up to the outside world, and continuously provide new opportunities for the world with China's new development. While realizing our own development, Make greater contributions to global development.

(Author: Meng Fanzhe)