Yao Jian, spokesman of the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), recently said in his statement that in the course of overcoming the adverse impact of the international financial crisis, China not only adopted measures to stabilize export but also took action to expand import. In 2009, the export saw a year-on-year decline of 16.0%, import 11.2%, with import 4.8 percentage points less than export and the trade surplus dropped 34.2%. From January to February this year, export rose by31.4%; and import 63.6%, with import 32.2 percentage points more than export, and the trade surplus fell by 50.5% (the general trade deficit amounted to USD6.81b while the trade surplus was USD12.27b in the same period last year). It can be estimated that the effect of expanding import this year will be further revealed t and import and export will be more balanced.

Yao pointed out that in 2010, China will adopt the policies and measures to further expand import: firstly, to stabilize polices to promote various imports, establish and perfect the import promotion system and focus on expanding the import of advanced technical equipment, key components and parts and domestic badly-needed goods and materials. Secondly, to further raise the degree of import trade facilitation, clean up relevant measures on import management, further broaden the import management, adjust and implement the Automatic Import Licenses to manage merchandise, meanwhile, together with Chinese customs and quality inspection departments, boost to improve the efficiency of clearance and take measures on facilitating inspection and quarantine. Thirdly, to strengthen import promotion. In domestic important exhibitions and fairs like Canton Fair, we could hold activities in promoting the trade such as import fairs, and provide preferential stands for those developing countries with large surplus with China and free stands for least developed countries. We also enhance the public information service and provide a platform for overseas enterprises into the Chinese market. Fourthly, to enhance regional cooperation to boost the growth of bilateral trade. At present China has signed and implemented eight FTA Agreements involving the regional trade cooperation with 16 countries and regions, which vigorously expanded our imports from above countries and regions. For example, on January 1 of 2010, China-ASEAN FTA was completely established, and then, our imports from six countries of ASEAN were much more than our exports to them. Additionally, we take the measure of zero-tariff on merchandise imported from less-developed countries and regions. Fifthly, to continuously carry out trade investment promotion campaigns. Since 2009, MOFCOM has actively organized 13 delegations of trade & investment promotion to take activities in promoting bilateral trade & investment in more than 30 countries and regions. In 2010, MOFCOM will, together with relevant industrial chambers of commerce, continue to organize such delegations for expanding the import. And sixthly, to intensify exchanges and negotiations to urge relevant countries to lift the restrictions against China on high technical products.

According to Yao Jian, currently, China has become the major export market of many countries. In 2009, China was the largest export market of Japan, Australia, ROK, ASEAN, Brazil and South Africa, the 3rd largest export market of the U.S., EU and India. And the proportion of these countries’ exports to China in their total exports rose in varying degrees. It is showed that a series of policies and measures in overcoming the financial crisis and promoting the steady and rapid development of economy not only promoted China’s economy but also played a great role in recovering the global economy and overcoming the crisis of all countries in the world.