Original title: The Ministry of Commerce held a regular press conference (February 10, 2022)
On February 10, the Ministry of Commerce held a regular press conference. The spokesman of the Ministry of Commerce, Gao Feng, attended the press conference, introduced the relevant situation and answered questions from reporters.
peak:
Dear journalist friends:
Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the regular press conference of the Ministry of Commerce. I don’t have any unsolicited information to share with you today. Now I would like to answer the questions raised by journalists.
Please ask below.
Xinhua News Agency reporter:
We have noticed that during the meeting between the heads of state of China and Russia on February 4, the Ministry of Commerce and the Russian side signed the Joint Statement on Completing the Development of the Roadmap for the High-quality Development of Sino-Russian Trade in Goods and Services and the Joint Statement on Promoting Sustainable Development The Memorandum of Understanding on Investment Cooperation in the (Green) Development Sector”, could the speaker please introduce the relevant situation? In addition, what important achievements have the two sides achieved in the field of economic and trade pragmatic cooperation?
peak:
On February 4, President Xi Jinping held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two heads of state planned the blueprint and guided the direction of China-Russia relations under the new historical conditions. The talks achieved fruitful results. During the talks, the Ministry of Commerce and the Russian Ministry of Economic Development signed two cooperation documents.
The first is the Joint Statement on Completing the Development of the Roadmap for the High-quality Development of Sino-Russian Trade in Goods and Services. The “Roadmap” is led by the Ministry of Commerce of China and the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia, and jointly compiled with many government departments, localities and institutions of the two countries, to make a path plan for the realization of the US$200 billion trade target set by the two heads of state. In terms of content, the “Roadmap” covers more than 200 cooperation measures and projects in more than 20 fields such as oil and gas, chemical industry, electromechanical, agriculture and forestry, high-tech, etc. It also includes transportation and customs clearance, financial services, trade and investment facilitation, intellectual property rights, local The cooperation between China and Russia will provide assistance and guarantee for promoting the high-quality development of Sino-Russian trade.
The second is the Memorandum of Understanding on Promoting Investment Cooperation in Sustainable (Green) Development. The Ministry of Commerce of China and the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia will take the lead and jointly promote investment cooperation in the field of green development with relevant parties of the two countries. The two sides agreed to encourage enterprises of the two countries to carry out investment cooperation in low-carbon energy and green infrastructure, actively promote green technology innovation, and jointly create new growth points for green and low-carbon cooperation between the two countries.
In addition, during the talks, relevant departments and enterprises of the two sides also signed cooperation agreements in the fields of oil, natural gas, satellite navigation, information technology, etc., to promote new progress in energy trade and cooperation in key projects between the two countries. In the field of agriculture, the two sides signed a cooperation document on the inspection and quarantine of Russian barley, wheat and alfalfa to China, creating conditions for expanding trade in agricultural products between the two countries. The two sides also signed a mutual recognition arrangement for “certified operators”, which will further enhance the level of trade facilitation between the two countries.
In the next step, China will work with Russia to fully implement the important consensus and outcomes of the heads of state talks, implement the “Roadmap for the High-quality Development of Sino-Russian Trade in Goods and Services”, deepen investment cooperation in green development, and promote bilateral Practical cooperation in various fields such as economy, trade, energy, agriculture, science and technology, aerospace, connectivity, finance, etc. “goes hand in hand”, making steady progress towards the US$200 billion trade target set by the two heads of state. thanks.
Reporter from the Voice of China Central Radio and Television:
What are the new highlights and features of this year’s Spring Festival holiday consumption compared to previous years?
peak:
During the Spring Festival this year, my country’s consumer market was generally running smoothly, improving quality while maintaining stability.
First, the sales of high-quality products are booming. The Spring Festival holiday coincides with the Beijing Winter Olympics, and the sales of traditional New Year products, national trendy cultural and creative products, and Winter Olympics souvenirs continue to grow. Smart products, flowers and green plants, organic food and other healthy and quality upgraded products have become the first choice for New Year’s goods. During the Spring Festival, the Ministry of Commerce focused on monitoring the sales of travel-related petroleum products and automobiles, which increased by 18.2% and 11.3% year-on-year respectively. The sales of green home appliances on some e-commerce platforms increased by more than 110% year-on-year. 130%, the total sales of the 10 duty-free shops on the outlying islands in Hainan increased by more than 1.5 times year-on-year.
Second, catering consumption is gradually picking up. The integration of online and offline catering consumption is accelerating, and thrift and safety have become the mainstream of consumption. The sales of pre-made vegetables on some takeaway platforms increased by more than 3 times year-on-year, and the catering transaction volume on some large e-commerce platforms increased by nearly 10% year-on-year. Launch new year food activities in many places to promote local specialties. At the same time, all localities vigorously advocated saving food and beverages and actively promoted the “CD Action”.
Third, the consumption of ice and snow is heating up rapidly. The Beijing Winter Olympics has stimulated a boom in ice and snow consumption. The number of visitors to ice rinks, snow rinks, and ice and snow theme parks has increased significantly. Indoor ice hockey, ice skating, skiing and other sports have flourished, and niche activities such as ice climbing and snow rafting have gradually emerged. Data from some e-commerce platforms shows that during the Spring Festival, the sales of ski equipment increased by more than 180% year-on-year, the sales of ice sports categories increased by more than 300% year-on-year, and the transaction volume of ice and snow scenic spots increased by more than 80% year-on-year.
Fourth, leisure consumption is very popular. During the Spring Festival, outings, city tours, folk customs, and exhibitions have become consumption hotspots. Some large e-commerce companies account for 65% of orders for domestic travel products, a significant increase over previous years. Suburban resort hotels are very popular among consumers. During the Spring Festival, the transaction volume of accommodation on some e-commerce platforms increased by about 10% year-on-year, and the order volume of single-family homestays on some e-commerce platforms increased by nearly 60% year-on-year.
Fifth, the prices of daily necessities are abundant and stable. The market supply of daily necessities in various places is generally sufficient, with rich varieties, and prices are generally stable. According to the monitoring of the Ministry of Commerce, during the Spring Festival, the prices of grains and eggs in 100 large-scale agricultural and sideline products wholesale markets in the country were the same as the week before the festival, and the prices of pork, beef and mutton rose by 0.2%, 0.4% and 0.8% respectively. , The average prices of 6 kinds of fruits rose by 3.7% and 2.0% respectively over the pre-holiday period. thanks.
AFP reporter:
U.S. exports of goods to China fell in December, according to reports, falling far short of purchasing commitments in a “phase one” trade deal struck between the two countries under former President Donald Trump. The U.S. Census Bureau said on Tuesday that U.S.-China trade data showed that China was far from fulfilling its pledge to buy $200 billion more in U.S. agricultural products, manufactured goods, energy and services than it did in 2017. U.S. officials call on China to take “concrete action.” What is China’s response to this?
peak:
The phase one agreement between China and the United States is beneficial to both China and the United States, as well as to the entire world. Since the agreement came into effect, China has worked hard to overcome the multiple adverse effects caused by the impact of the epidemic, the global economic recession, and supply chain disruptions, and has promoted the joint implementation of the agreement. It is hoped that the U.S. side will cancel the imposition of additional tariffs, sanctions and suppression measures against China as soon as possible, so as to create a favorable atmosphere and conditions for the expansion of trade cooperation between the two sides. thanks.
A reporter from the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong:
Deputy US Trade Representative Bianchi said recently that the Chinese government’s subsidies to enterprises and non-market economic policies and practices are “serious threats to US economic interests”. How does the Ministry of Commerce respond to this? What is the current progress of the communication and dialogue between the Sino-US economic and trade teams?
peak:
The accusations made by the US are completely untrue. Since China’s accession to the WTO, it has earnestly fulfilled its accession commitments, abided by the obligations of the WTO Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, and completely cancelled the prohibitive subsidies under the agreement. For other subsidies allowed by the WTO rules, the level and method of China’s subsidies are in line with the WTO rules.
There is a view that China’s economic success mainly depends on government intervention. We object to this view. Facts over the past 40 years have shown that the success of China’s economy is the success of the reform and opening-up policy, and the success of the effective combination of the role of the market mechanism and the role of the government. China’s reform and opening up is beneficial to China and the world. It not only promotes China’s economic development, but also makes important contributions to the prosperity of the world economy.
At present, the economic and trade teams of the two sides maintain normal communication. If there is further information, we will announce it in time. thanks.
The Paper reporter:
In 2021, China’s service trade deficit will hit a new low since 2011. How does the Ministry of Commerce view this performance? What is the reason? Will there be any new policy measures to support the development of trade in services this year?
peak:
In 2021, the Ministry of Commerce will conscientiously implement the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, focus on the “six stability” work and the implementation of the “six guarantees” tasks, coordinate the normalized epidemic prevention and control and the development of trade in services, and jointly promote the introduction of a series of stable policies with relevant departments in a timely manner. Policy measures for trade in services. The service trade continued to grow rapidly throughout the year. The total service import and export volume reached 5,298.27 billion yuan, and the service trade deficit narrowed to 211.27 billion yuan, which fully reflects the positive results my country has achieved in terms of structural adjustment in the field of service trade and improvement of export competitiveness.
In general, the main reasons for the sharp reduction in the trade deficit in services include the following aspects:
First, the rapid growth of my country’s service industry has laid a solid foundation for the coordinated development of trade in services. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, in 2021, the added value of my country’s service industry will increase by 8.2% year-on-year, accounting for 53.3% of the GDP. The new kinetic energy of the service industry has been gradually stimulated, and new business forms and new models have emerged; at the same time, the new generation of information technology has greatly improved the tradability of services, the manufacturing and service industries have continued to integrate, and the quality and efficiency of service supply have been significantly improved. It has laid a solid foundation for the coordinated development of trade in services.
Second, my country’s export competitiveness of knowledge-intensive services has been significantly improved. The COVID-19 epidemic has profoundly affected people’s production and lifestyle. Online provision and online consumption of audio-visual services, medical care, education, and online retailing have grown substantially, and digital payment methods have been widely used, expanding space for the rapid growth of knowledge-intensive service trade. In 2021, my country’s exports of knowledge-intensive services will increase by 18%; among them, exports of personal cultural and entertainment services, intellectual property royalties, telecommunications, computers and information services will increase by 35%, 26.9%, and 22.3%, respectively, showing strong export competition. force.
Third, the export of transportation services grew rapidly. Affected by trade in goods and price factors, the export of transportation services continued to grow rapidly throughout the year. In 2021, my country’s transportation service exports will reach 820.55 billion yuan, with a growth rate of 110.2%, making it the fastest growing area of exports among the 12 major areas of service trade. The export of transportation and knowledge-intensive services together drove the rapid growth of service exports throughout the year, with a growth rate of 31.4%, which was 26.6 percentage points higher than the growth rate of service imports, driving the service trade deficit to drop by 69.5% over the previous year.
Fourth, the deficit in travel services dropped significantly. In recent years, travel services have been the largest deficit area in my country’s service trade. Since the outbreak of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, my country’s trade deficit in travel services has dropped significantly, from 1,494.16 billion yuan in 2019 to 643.04 billion yuan in 2021. This is an important reason for the sharp drop in my country’s service trade deficit.
This year, the Ministry of Commerce will, in accordance with the deployment of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, adhere to the principle of stability and seek progress while maintaining stability, and continue to promote the reform, opening up and innovation of trade in services, focusing on the following aspects: First, work with relevant departments to solidly promote the implementation of the “Ten The Fourth Five-Year Plan for the Development of Trade in Services has implemented various tasks and measures. The second is to study and promote the introduction of a number of new policy measures to vigorously promote the high-quality development of digital trade, technology trade, and foreign cultural trade. The third is to explore the path of institutional opening up of trade in services, and promote the introduction of a national version of the negative list for cross-border trade in services. The fourth is to continue to promote the implementation of various policies and measures in the pilot program of innovative development of trade in services, and summarize and promote more institutional innovation achievements. The fifth is to select areas with remarkable results in the pilot program, and upgrade and build a national service trade innovation and development demonstration zone. Vigorously develop digital trade, build a digital trade demonstration zone, and promote innovation in technology and systems. The sixth is to promote the quality, upgrade and expansion of the characteristic service export base, improve the base management system and promotion system, and implement various policies and measures to support the development of the base. thanks.
Reporter from China Radio and Television Station:
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Argentina. May I ask the Ministry of Commerce, what are the highlights of the economic and trade cooperation between the two countries in recent years? What potential can the two countries have in terms of economic and trade cooperation in the future?
peak:
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Afghanistan 50 years ago, the economic and trade relations between the two countries have maintained a healthy and stable development. In 2021, the bilateral trade volume will increase by 28.3% year-on-year to US$17.83 billion, and China will continue to remain Argentina’s second largest trading partner. The scale of two-way investment has steadily expanded, and investment and cooperation projects between the two sides in new fields such as clean energy have continued to emerge. Argentina is an important project contracting market for China in Latin America. The cooperation between the two parties involves fields such as hydropower, railway, energy, and communication.
On February 6, President Xi Jinping held talks with Argentine President Fernandez, who was in China for the Winter Olympics. The two heads of state reached an important consensus on deepening the China-Arab comprehensive strategic partnership, charting the course for the development of China-Arab economic and trade relations. In the next step, China is willing to work with the Arab side to jointly promote the construction of the “Belt and Road”, promote the further development of China-Arab pragmatic economic and trade cooperation in various fields, especially strengthen investment cooperation in emerging areas such as digital economy and green development, and continuously enhance bilateral economic and trade cooperation. level and enhance the well-being of the two peoples. thanks.
Reporter from Shanghai Securities News:
China and Ecuador have officially launched free trade agreement negotiations. What is the situation of bilateral economic and trade cooperation and bilateral trade? What are the benefits of signing a free trade agreement?
peak:
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Ecuador 42 years ago, the bilateral economic and trade relations have continued to develop steadily and healthily. In 2021, the bilateral trade volume will increase by 44.6% against the trend to reach US$10.94 billion, and China will continue to remain Ecuador’s second largest trading partner. Ecuador is also an important investment and project contracting partner of China in Latin America. The cooperation between the two parties involves many fields such as electric power, energy and mining, and transportation.
At present, China and Ecuador have officially launched free trade agreement negotiations. China will work with Ecuador to actively advance relevant negotiations in accordance with the important consensus reached by the two heads of state. We believe that the signing of the free trade agreement between China and Ecuador will help to further tap the potential of bilateral trade, improve the quality and scale of trade, promote the sustainable, stable and diversified development of bilateral trade and investment, and bring tangible benefits to the enterprises and people of the two countries . thanks.
Cover News Reporter:
What is the consumption situation of this year’s online New Year’s Day? What are the outstanding features?
peak:
The 29-day “2022 National Online New Year’s Day” has just ended. Following the principle of “government guidance, business-oriented, and market-oriented operation”, the New Year’s Day has held the “Shanghai Cooperation Organization National Characteristic Commodity E-commerce Live Streaming Event” simultaneously, and achieved remarkable results. Overall, this online New Year’s Day mainly has the following characteristics:
First, high-quality New Year merchandise has become a consumption hotspot. Traditional Chinese New Year goods are still very popular. The sales of gift boxes such as chocolate, nuts, tea and wine increased by 66%, 41.4%, 23.2% and 22.7% respectively year-on-year. Time-honored brand products accelerate the expansion of online channels and become the protagonists of New Year’s goods. At the same time, consumption of upgrades has grown rapidly. The sales of smart projectors, smart massagers and smart TVs of 65 inches and above increased by 90.3%, 34.3% and 20.7% respectively year-on-year; sales of Guochao products, museum cultural and creative products, ethnic musical instruments and intangible cultural heritage products increased by 94.6% year-on-year respectively , 33.7%, 26.5% and 16.5%; the sales of local characteristic handicrafts increased by 26.7% year-on-year; the sales of furniture increased by 17.3% year-on-year.
Second, the ice and snow economy is taking advantage of the momentum. Winter Olympics merchandise and ice and snow equipment are booming. The sales of Winter Olympics licensed commemorative merchandise increased by 21.2 times year-on-year; the sales of ski equipment and ski suits increased by 62.9% and 61.2% year-on-year respectively. Snow-themed tours are gaining popularity. During the Spring Festival, online ski ticket sales increased by 102.1% year-on-year. The order volume of ice and snow tourism products on related e-commerce platforms increased by more than 30% year-on-year.
Third, green consumption has become the first choice. The sales of eco-friendly furs, eco-friendly tableware and eco-friendly bags increased by 265.9%, 20.2% and 17.1% year-on-year respectively; the sales of electronic fireworks increased by 1.4 times year-on-year; the sales of organic vegetables, organic milk and organic rice increased by 335.6%, 78.9% and 335.6% year-on-year respectively. 24.2%. Online catering sales increased by 28.5% year-on-year, of which in-store and takeaway sales increased by 48.3% and 22.6% year-on-year, respectively. Takeaway data from relevant e-commerce platforms shows that during the Spring Festival, the number of takeaway merchants offering New Year’s Eve meals increased by 2 times year-on-year, and the sales volume of New Year’s Eve dishes increased by 1.4 times year-on-year.
Fourth, “Shanghai Heyoupin” is very popular. During the “Shanghai Cooperation Organization Special Commodities E-commerce Live Streaming Event”, a total of nearly 1,800 live broadcasts of various types were held, involving more than 1,500 product categories in the SCO countries, with a cumulative sales of nearly 100 million yuan. The SCO on major e-commerce platforms The sales of national products have increased significantly month-on-month, which has effectively enhanced the popularity and influence of products from SCO countries in China. At the same time, the live broadcast also built a new bridge for local cooperation. Qingdao, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian and other provinces and cities actively connected with the SCO national business associations and enterprises in this event, reached many industrial cooperation intentions, and injected new impetus into the economic and trade cooperation among the SCO countries. thanks.
peak:
Do you have any questions? If there are no problems, this is the end of today’s press conference, thank you all!
