Promote reform with opening up and build a higher-level pilot free trade zone

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that on the new journey, it is necessary to carry out exploration in a wider field and at a deeper level, and strive to build a higher-level pilot free trade zone. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China made clear arrangements for the implementation of the promotion strategy of the pilot free trade zone, and encouraged pioneering and integrated exploration.

Anchored in the grand goal of Chinese-style modernization, the Pilot Free Trade Zone and the Hainan Free Trade Port adhere to the guidance of high-level opening-up and institutional innovation as the core, accelerate the launch of a large number of basic and pioneering reform and opening up measures, and better play the role of a comprehensive test platform for reform and opening up.

Recently, the trade in goods and personnel exchanges in the pilot free trade zone have accelerated.

A China-Europe train that crosses the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea and goes directly to the hinterland of Europe departs from the Shaanxi Pilot Free Trade Zone, saving about two-thirds of the time compared with traditional sea transportation. In Khorgos, China’s first cross-border free trade zone and the China-Kazakhstan Cooperation Center have opened 22 fast customs clearance and inspection channels, with an average of 17,000 people trading here every day.

In the first half of the year, the pilot free trade zone achieved 20.8% of the country’s foreign investment and 19.5% of the country’s import and export with less than 4/1,000 of the country’s land area, accumulating valuable experience for further deepening reform in an all-round way and expanding opening up at a high level.

The construction of a pilot free trade zone is an important strategic measure of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core to promote reform and opening up in the new era. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has personally planned, deployed and promoted, and China has successively built 22 pilot free trade zones, forming a reform, opening up and innovation pattern covering the east, west, north, south and central, coordinating the coastal, inland and border areas, and promoting a total of 349 institutional innovation achievements at the national level.

In 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping made important instructions on further promoting the construction of the pilot free trade zone, emphasizing that on the basis of comprehensively summarizing the construction experience of the past ten years, we should thoroughly implement the upgrading strategy of the pilot free trade zone, be a pioneer in forging ahead and overcoming difficulties, and carry out exploration in a wider range of fields and at a deeper level, so that the pilot free trade zone can better play an exemplary role.

The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China pointed out that it is necessary to improve the system and mechanism of high-level opening-up, implement the strategy of upgrading the pilot free trade zone, and accelerate the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port.

Since the beginning of this year, the high-level construction of the pilot free trade zone has been accelerated. Some regions have accelerated the pilot project to connect with international high-standard economic and trade rules, and promoted institutional opening-up. Shanghai and other places have relaxed the import of 62 kinds of remanufactured products such as reciprocating piston engines and vehicle gearboxes, which is expected to create an annual trade volume of nearly 500 million yuan. In the past few days, a number of aero engines that have been repaired abroad have returned to Haikou, and have obtained tariff reductions of 663,200 yuan because they meet the pilot measures such as temporary export maintenance and tariff-free entry of ships and aircraft.

To further promote the opening up of the service industry, the state has issued and implemented the first negative list for cross-border trade in services in the pilot free trade zone, and made arrangements for opening up in the fields of professional qualifications for natural persons, professional services, and finance. The Beijing Pilot Free Trade Zone has increased the number of overseas professional qualifications from 82 to 122, including not only highly recognized occupations such as accountants and doctors, but also subdivisions such as electrical and chemistry, attracting nearly 400 international talents.

The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China pointed out that the implementation of the pilot free trade zone promotion strategy encourages pioneering and integrated exploration. Based on its own strategic positioning, the pilot free trade zone is activating its development potential with institutional innovation. Focusing on key areas such as the digital economy, Tianjin, Fujian and other places have carried out leading explorations; Focusing on key industries such as bulk commodities and biomedicine, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and other places have promoted the innovation and development of the whole industrial chain.

At present, the first batch of 33 pilot measures in the pilot free trade zone to connect with international high-standard economic and trade rules have all been implemented. During this period, the Ministry of Commerce is in the process of summarizing and evaluating the results of these pilots.

Adhering to the principle of promoting reform through opening-up, the pilot free trade zone will better play the role of the “head goose” of institutional innovation, play a pioneering role in promoting Chinese-style modernization, and explore new paths for building an open world economy!