China import expo opens doors
A more open China will benefit the world, writes Wang Zhijian.
THE second China International Import Expo (CIIE) is being launched again in Shanghai this year. The Import Expo, first of its kind in the world, was initiated by President Xi Jinping during the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in 2017, sending out a clear signal of China’s conviction to open its door wider.
More than 3000 enterprises from about 170 countries have registered for CIIE this year, including more from the Fortune Global 500, and there are more new products and technologies to be released.
New Zealand enterprises achieved great success during the first CIIE last year. Their transactions with 114 Chinese procurers amounted to over $US590 million ($NZ920 million), $US100,000 of deals reached for each square metre of display. Besides giants such as Fonterra and Silver Fern, more New Zealand enterprises, including many SMEs, have registered independently this year, covering broader areas like ecommerce, biopharmaceutical, aviation and ecological products besides the traditional primary industries.
As the world’s largest market having more than 400 million middleincome earners, China has become the top trading partner of more than 120 economies including New Zealand, and is estimated to import more than $US30 trillion worth of goods and $US10 trillion worth of service within the next 15 years.
CIIE has provided a ‘‘fast track’’ for enterprises worldwide to explore the vast Chinese market through directly interacting with clients and getting easy access to latest policies and information.
Hosting the annual CIIE is another significant step of China further opening up. We understand growth is impossible if we close the door, and neither could we shut the troubles out. Against the backdrop of rising protectionism and unilateralism, China firmly upholds building an open world economy, trying to make the ‘‘cake’’ bigger rather than only seeking a bigger share for ourselves.
Confucius once pointed out, ‘‘those who want to establish themselves should begin by helping others to do so and those who want to prosper should begin by helping others to get rich’’.
China seeks to align development strategies with international partners, and share opportunities of growth with the rest of the world. Since the international financial crisis broke out in 2008, China has contributed one third of economic growth to the world for consecutive years.
The global communities are in the same boat when faced with undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. The winnertakesall mentality will only end up in intense frictions and blocks the way of finding constructive solutions. China is committed to building a common roof to shed wind and storm for all, contributing wisdom and confidence to global governance and providing more public goods, including the Belt and Road initiative, to promote global interconnectivity.
China’s rapid development has helped to strengthen the bilateral relationship with New Zealand, bringing tangible benefits to both peoples. Our bilateral trade volume has reached the goal of $NZ30 billion one year ahead of the set timetable, meaning two days’ trade volume today equals that of the whole year in 1972 when the two countries established diplomatic ties.
This year is the ChinaNew Zealand
Tourism year, and the 400,000plus Chinese tourists visiting New Zealand each year have given a strong boost to local tourism and retail industries. The bilateral practical cooperation has also expanded to new areas like winter sports, as China will host the Winter Olympics in 2022.
Differences in size of country, social system and cultural traditions have never stood in the way of our bilateral cooperation. Both countries have regarded the success of the other as opportunities, and learnt to seek common grounds while resolving differences through friendly consultation. Our two countries also share consensus in safeguarding multilateral trade regimes and a rulebased international order as well as promoting global collaboration on climate change and sustainable development.
A growing and more open China will be beneficial to the world and to the development of our bilateral relations oriented towards the future.