President Xi Jinping delivers the keynote speech via video link on Nov 4 at the opening ceremony of the fourth China International Import Expo in Shanghai. (FENG YONGBIN / CHINA DAILY)

President Xi Jinping reiterated China’s resolve to open wider at a high standard and its determination to share development opportunities with the rest of the world, saying that opening-up is the hallmark of contemporary China.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the fourth China International Import Expo and the Hongqiao International Economic Forum in Shanghai, via video link, on Nov 4, Xi also said that China will not change its commitment to an economic globalization that is more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial for all.

The president called on the international community to stay on top of the prevailing trend of economic globalization, and support countries around the world in opening up wider while rejecting unilateralism and protectionism.

“This is significantly important if we are to take humanity to a better future,” he said.

Xi said that as the only major economy to register positive growth in trade in goods last year, China has made important contributions to keeping global industrial and supply chains stable and boosting world economic recovery.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, China has provided the international community with some 350 billion masks, over 4 billion protective suits, more than 6 billion testing kits and over 1.6 billion doses of vaccines, he said, noting that these are concrete actions China has taken to honor its commitments and fulfill its responsibilities.

As this year marks the 20th anniversary of China’s accession to the World Trade Organization, Xi said the past two decades have witnessed China deepen reform and pursue all-around opening-up, seize opportunities, rise to challenges, step up to its responsibilities, and benefit the whole world.

“Since joining the WTO, China has kept opening wider to the world, thus generating a new wave of domestic development while injecting fresh impetus into the world economy,” he said.

Noting that the multilateral trading regime is currently facing challenges, Xi said that China supports WTO reform moving in the right direction and will have an active and open attitude in negotiations on issues such as the digital economy, trade and the environment, industrial subsidies and State-owned enterprises.

China will put more emphasis on expanding imports and pursuing the balanced development of trade, he said. He announced that China will open more demonstration zones for the creative promotion of import trade.

According to Xi, China will revise and enlarge the Encouraged Industry Catalogue to guide more foreign investment toward sectors such as advanced manufacturing, modern services, high and new technology, energy conservation and environmental protection.

To uphold the common interests of the world, the nation will actively join in global efforts to tackle climate change and safeguard food and energy security, and provide more assistance to fellow developing countries within the framework of South-South cooperation, he said.

“China stands ready to work with all countries to build an open world economy so that the spring breeze of openness will bring warmth to all parts of the world,” Xi said.

World leaders hailed China’s import expo and the nation’s contribution to world economic recovery.

Argentine President Alberto Fernandez said, via video link, that new technologies have changed both the form and substance of trade, helping to increase the share of service trade and blurring the traditional boundaries between services, agriculture and industrial manufacturing.

Amid this situation, Argentina has been encouraging domestic high-tech companies to participate in China’s market development, he said.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, also speaking via video link, said the CIIE is one of the biggest trade promotion events in China and globally, and it embodies China’s commitment to international trade.

Trade should be free and fair, a level playing field must be preserved and an open multilateral trade system promoted in order to benefit both consumers and producers, imports and exporters, he said.

“Trade should be at the service of the people, not the other way around. We must never lose our guiding values, principles and standards,” Draghi said.

Business leaders and officials said on Nov 5 that they are heartened by China’s commitment to further opening-up and low-carbon transformation.

Mark Wang, president and CEO of HSBC China, said President Xi fully demonstrated China’s confidence and commitment to promoting higher-level opening-up and sharing market opportunities to support the global economic recovery.

“The fourth CIIE carries more significance beyond trade when the global economic cooperation is facing new opportunities and challenges amid unprecedented changes in the world,” Wang said.

Xi’s speech once again confirms China’s commitment to multilateralism in international trade and its willingness to share the benefits by continuing to open up the vast Chinese market to the rest of the world, said Yok Yee Chan, consul general of Fiji in Shanghai.

“This commitment is particularly important to small economies like Fiji, which are dependent on fair international trade and access to markets. Fiji is glad to take part in this grand project and wishes the CIIE great success,” she said.

Martin Lundstedt, president and CEO of Volvo Group, said: “President Xi’s speech has again reinforced our confidence in China and the future of our business in the country. We believe that Chinese companies and their foreign counterparts should work together to promote multilateral collaborations.”

President Xi also reiterated in his speech China’s goal of seeking green and low-carbon development.

Tao Jiang, CEO of Lixil Water Technology Greater China, said that as a global water and housing products manufacturer, Lixil has always regarded green development imperative and has taken the initiative to undertake this responsibility.

“As one of the beneficiaries of China’s business environment, Lixil is fully confident in the prospects of China’s future economic growth. We will continue to fulfill the long-term commitment to the Chinese market and contribute to the sustainable development of China,” Tao said.

China has been carrying out higher-level opening-up with the pursuit of “win-win” collaboration, which is set to bring new vigor to the global economy, according to Dan Brindle, president of Novartis Group, China.

Zhang Xiaolei, president of Standard Chartered’s China operations, said the bank has prioritized the development of sustainable financial services to facilitate China’s carbon neutrality goal. Thus, it has been supporting the development of clean technology companies and helping its clients’ low-carbon transformation.

International observers hailed President Xi’s remarks at the opening of the CIIE as yet another sign of the country’s openness to engage with the world and pursue true multilateralism for the common good.

Muhammad Faisal, a research fellow at the China-Pakistan Study Centre at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad, said Xi’s speech came at an important time, as 2021 marks the 20th anniversary of China joining the World Trade Organization.

“The key message of President Xi’s important speech was that China aims to be the market for the world and it remains open to engage with the world,” he said. 

“President Xi also acknowledged the importance of engaging with developing countries to promote South-South cooperation,” Faisal said.

He noted China’s desire to promote high-quality development for the Belt and Road Initiative, which he says Pakistani companies can link with to meet their needs as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Dennis Munene, executive director of the China-Africa Center at the Africa Policy Institute, said that China, which managed to grow its economy in 2020 thanks to its effective response to the pandemic, has seen its image rise overseas.

More and more countries are embracing the spirit of building a community with a shared future for mankind, as evidenced by the increased number of exhibitors at the expo in Shanghai, Munene said.

This year’s expo, which ended on Nov 10, has drawn about 3,000 exhibitors from 127 countries and regions.

In his speech, Xi reiterated that China is a firm believer in backing its words with actions, outlining the progress the country has made since the third CIIE. 

These achievements include the introduction of the cross-border trade in services at the Hainan Free Trade Port, reform and innovation for pilot free trade zones, and the continued expansion of access for foreign investors.

Kamaruzaman Bin Yusoff, a Middle East political analyst and former professor of Middle Eastern politics at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in Johor, said Xi’s speech showed “how China is really serious about helping others, especially developing countries, to flourish and keep up with global challenges”.

Xi also pledged that China will take an active role in negotiations on issues covering the digital economy, trade and the environment, industrial subsidies and State-owned enterprises, among others, as the main channel for international rules-setting to safeguard the stability of global industrial supply chains.

Furkan Halit Yolcu, a research assistant at Sakarya University-Middle East Institute in Turkey, noted Xi’s mention of the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement, established between New Zealand, Chile and Singapore. 

The agreement which China seeks to join is important as it shows that China “is ready to lead the change in the ways that international trade is conducted”, Yolcu said.

Yusoff, from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, added, “Western powers must accept the good intentions of China to work hand-in-hand to keep the world safe and achieve sustainable development.”

Liu Hongjie in Beijing contributed to the story.

Contact the writers at mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn