BEIJING: Chinese officials and observers say a resolution adopted last week by the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee has decidedly demonstrated China’s resolve to ramp up its opening up efforts.
The world is currently undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, with increasing external uncertainties, but this will not affect China’s firm determination and confidence to continue deepening reform and expanding opening up, Mu Hong, deputy director of the Office of the Central Commission for Deepening Reform in charge of routine work, said at a press conference on Friday.
“Opening up is a defining feature of Chinese modernization,” according to the resolution, which was adopted at the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee.
“We must remain committed to the basic state policy of opening to the outside world and continue to promote reform through opening up. Leveraging the strengths of China’s enormous market, we will enhance our capacity for opening up while expanding international cooperation and develop new institutions for a higher-standard open economy,” the resolution said.
It laid out five key points to denote how China will pursue high-standard opening up. They include efforts to steadily expand institutional opening up, deepen the foreign trade structural reform, further reform the management systems for inward and outward investment, optimize the layout for regional opening up and improve the mechanisms for high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.
These initiatives will build on China’s countless achievements with regard to opening up in the past decade.
In Qianhai, an emerging business area of south China’s Shenzhen City, more than 120 new foreign enterprises are registered each month on average this year, marking a new wave of foreign investment.
In northwest China, a China-Europe freight train leaves or arrives at Xi’an international port station every 100 minutes on average. To date, the freight train network has reached 25 European countries and connects with 11 Asian countries.
The eastern Chinese city of Ezhou is home to Asia’s largest cargo airport, which operates 80 international cargo flights per week.
“China has been actively expanding its circle of friends in global economic and trade cooperation. Its trade with partner countries under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) increased by 7.2 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2024,” Wang Yiwei, a professor at Renmin University of China and expert at the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade wrote in an article published on CGTN on Thursday.
“Despite anti-globalization sentiments, China’s doors remain open and will only open wider,” Wang noted.
China poised to offer new opportunities for cooperation to the Maldives and world
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday said China is poised to offer new opportunities for cooperation.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks during a meeting with his Maldivian counterpart Moosa Zameer in Beijing.
Noting the just-concluded third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee put forward over 300 reform measures, Wang said a clear signal has been given that China will further expand its high level of opening up.
“I believe it will offer new opportunities for cooperation with all countries in the world, including the Maldives,” the Chinese foreign minister said.
Wang recalled that since the establishment of diplomatic ties 52 years ago, China and the Maldives have always respected and supported each other, setting an example of equal treatment and win-win cooperation despite the difference in the size of the countries.
“There are no problems between the two countries, only friendship and cooperation,” Wang said.
He said China is willing to support the Maldives in its economic and social development and help the island nation enhance its capacity for independent and sustainable development to the best of its ability.
Wang said China would also like to strengthen multilateral cooperation with the Maldives, jointly tackle global challenges and promote the common interests of developing countries and safeguard peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi holds talks with his Maldivian counterpart Moosa Zameer in Beijing, China, July 22, 2024.
Zameer extended congratulations on the successful conclusion of the third plenum.
China’s further deepening reform comprehensively and the advancement of Chinese modernization will bring more benefits to the world, he said, adding it is crucial for all countries in the world, especially developing countries, to join hands in addressing global challenges and maintaining world peace and prosperity.
The foreign minister expressed gratitude for China’s assistance toward the Maldives’ economic and social development over the years.
Zameer reiterated that the Maldives firmly abides by the one-China principle and is willing to continue to participate in the Belt and Road Initiative and further deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in economy, trade, tourism, culture and other fields.
Zameer is on an official visit to China from July 20 to 24.
