Page 9 - AT

A9
WORLD NEWS Tuesday 5 November 2019

The Second China International Import Expo Revealing a More Open China

By Xue Shan,
Acting Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Willemstad

WILLEMSTAD, CURACAO — The Second China International Import Expo [https://www.ciie.org] will be held in Shanghai from
November 5th to 10th. The CIIE is the world’s rst import expo held at the national level, and an innovation in the history of
global trade. By holding the import fair, China is building a platform that connects China’s demand with the world supply. It not
only satis es China’s domestic consumption and its upgrade, but also provides huge business opportunities for global
enterprises. Given the intensi ed trade protectionism and increased downside risk for the world economy, the Chinese
government is actively promoting high-level opening-up, which demonstrates China’s consistent position of supporting free
government is actively promoting high-level opening-up, which demonstrates China’s consistent position of supporting free
trade and economic globalization.

The number of participants as well as the exhibition area of the second CIIE will be larger than that of the rst expo. Covering an
area of 30,000 m2, the country exhibitions will host 64 nations and three international organizations. Among them are 15 guest
countries of honor, including some EU member states, France, Italy, Greece and Czech Republic. The uniquely designed pavilions
will showcase each country's development achievements, business environment and special industries. While the business
exhibitions cover more than 300,000 m2 and are divided into 7 areas, and have attracted more than 3,000 companies from over
150 countries and regions.

China has achieved tremendous development since the reform and opening-up. It has greatly improved people’s living
China has achieved tremendous development since the reform and opening-up. It has greatly improved people’s living
standards and has formed the world’s largest middle-income group. Consequently, the demand of high-quality imported goods
has been increasing. Consumption has contributed more than 70% of China’s economic growth and is now the primary engine
of domestic economic development. The “global market” of China has drawn the attention of the whole world.

While stimulating the high-quality development of its own economy, China has taken a series of measures to promote a higher
While stimulating the high-quality development of its own economy, China has taken a series of measures to promote a higher
level of opening-up, including expanding market access, enhancing international cooperation in intellectual property protection,
increasing the import of goods and services, and strengthening macro policy coordination with other major economies, etc.
According to the Doing Business 2020 study by the World Bank, China ranks 31st globally on business environment and joined
the ranks of the world’s top ten most improved economies for ease of doing business for the second year. The rankings of a
number of indicators, such as contract enforcement are among the highest in the world.
number of indicators, such as contract enforcement are among the highest in the world.
Foreign investment is thriving with the promotion of quality and expansion of capacity of the Chinese market, as well as the
continuous improvement of business environment in China. The World Investment Report 2019 by the United Nations
Conference on Trade and Development reveals that the foreign direct investment (FDI) in China increased by 4% in 2018 to an
all-time high of $139 billion, accounting 10% of world total. China is now the second largest FDI innow host economy and has
become an appealing destination for foreign investment.

China is also the world's second largest source of outward FDI. In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed to jointly build the
Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, namely the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
[https://eng.yidaiyilu.gov.cn]. In the past 6 years, more than 160 countries and international organizations have signed
agreements on Belt and Road cooperation with China. A large number of cooperation projects have been launched, bene ting
economic development of participating countries. The BRI highlights the Silk Road spirit of peace and cooperation, openness
and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual bene t, and is guided by the principle of consultation, contribution and shared
and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual bene t, and is guided by the principle of consultation, contribution and shared
bene ts. It follows market rules and suits to national conditions of relevant countries. That’s why the BRI has received greater
recognition from more and more country leaders and local people, and it has become the most welcomed global public product.

China and the Netherlands are important trading partners, with bilateral trade volume over 85 billion US dollars in 2018. The
Netherlands is where the land and maritime Silk Roads meet， and we two countries have achieved fruitful results in pragmatic
cooperation under the Belt and Road framework. Besides, 19 countries from Latin America and Caribbean region have signed
documents on Belt and Road cooperation with China. The Dutch Caribbean region has its unique advantages, China would like
to strengthen the people-to-people exchange, promote pragmatic cooperation between two sides, and achieve common
development.

China will open its door wider to the world, and will lend new impetus to the open world economy.
China will open its door wider to the world, and will lend new impetus to the open world economy.

Moon, Abe meet briefly, agree to more talks to settle row

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) land where they "agreed lations sink to a low unseen
— South Korean President to the importance of South in decades.
Moon Jae-in and Japa- Korea-Japan relations and Japan has denounced
nese Prime Minister Shinzo reaffirmed the principle of South Korean court rulings
Abe met one-on-one Mon- resolving pending bilateral calling for Japanese com-
day for the first time in more issues through dialogue." panies to offer reparations
than a year and called for Moon proposed high-level to aging South Korean
more dialogue between talks and Abe in response plaintiffs for their World War
the countries to settle a said the countries should II forced labor. South Ko-
deep dispute over trade exhaust "every possible rea has angrily reacted to
and history. Seoul's presi- method" to settle the dis- Japanese moves to tighten In this photo provided by South Korea Presidential Blue House,
dential Blue House said pute, Blue House spokes- controls on key technol- South Korean President Moon Jae-in, center right, talks with
Moon talked with Abe for woman Ko Min-jung said. ogy exports to the country Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, center left, ahead of the
11 minutes on the sidelines The two U.S. allies in past and downgrade its trade ASEAN+3 Summit in Nonthaburi, Thailand, Monday, Nov. 4, 2019.
Associated Press
of a regional summit in Thai- months have seen their re- status.q