Winning strategic initiative in the profound adjustment of global economic and trade pattern
In today's world, the global economic and trade pattern is undergoing profound adjustments, with the international economic and trade competition pattern, industrial chain and supply chain layout, and global economic and trade rule system all accelerating reshaping. The Proposal of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Formulating the Fifteenth Five Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development, which was deliberated and adopted at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, made an important deployment of "winning strategic initiative in fierce international competition, and promoting the strategic tasks related to the overall situation of Chinese path to modernization to achieve major breakthroughs". This is a strategic deployment made by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China based on the profound evolution of the world economic pattern and the complex changes in the international economic and trade environment, focusing on coordinating development and security, and accelerating the shaping of China's new international competitive advantages. A profound understanding of the rich connotations and practical requirements of this major deployment is of great and far-reaching significance for us to strengthen our confidence in development, enhance our strategic determination, and seize the initiative in the profound adjustment of the global economic and trade pattern.
1、 Persist in high-level opening up to the outside world and maintain strategic determination to solidify the foundation of development
Currently, the complexity and uncertainty of the external environment have significantly increased. From a policy perspective, major economies have entered a period of frequent adjustment in their economic and trade policies, with tariff tools, export controls, investment reviews, and other means being frequently used, resulting in a significant increase in policy volatility and unpredictability. From a structural perspective, the global industrial and supply chains are accelerating their restructuring, and geopolitical factors are increasingly interfering with economic layout. The globalization logic that prioritizes efficiency is gradually giving way to the regionalization and collectivization logic that prioritizes security. From a regulatory perspective, new issues such as green transformation, digital governance, and labor standards are constantly embedded in the international economic and trade system, overlapping and reshaping traditional trade rules. In the face of these profound changes, it is necessary to stabilize global expectations with openness, enhance the attraction of openness with a super large market, consolidate the foundation of development through internal and external circulation linkage, and firmly grasp the strategic initiative in the reconstruction of the global economic and trade pattern.
Stabilize global expectations with openness and determination. Faced with the frequent adjustment of trade policies, generalization of national security concepts, and abuse of tariff tools by some countries, China should use its own continuity and stability of openness to hedge against the severe fluctuations in the external environment. We must continue to send clear signals of expanding opening up, make full use of major open platforms, and hold the China International Import Expo, China International Fair for Trade in Services, and China Import and Export Fair at a high level, strengthen their functions of international procurement, investment promotion, cultural exchanges, and open cooperation, and make them important windows to showcase China's determination to open up and share China's development opportunities. Deepen the normalized communication mechanism with the business communities of various countries, proactively respond to the concerns of foreign-funded enterprises, provide convenient arrangements in personnel exchanges, cross-border business activities, and mutual recognition of standard certifications, and enhance the long-term confidence of multinational enterprises in the Chinese market through practical measures. Enhance the transparency and predictability of policies, making China a predictable partner in the turbulent international environment, and injecting more certainty into the global economic and trade system.
Enhance the attraction of openness through a super large scale market. Relying on the unique advantages of a super large domestic market and a complete industrial system, the market size advantage will be transformed into a competitive advantage that attracts global resource elements, making the Chinese market a "growth source" for global enterprises to compete in layout. To promote the synergy between consumption upgrading and supply optimization, in line with the trend of consumption structure upgrading, cultivate new growth points such as digital consumption, green consumption, and healthy consumption, and enhance the absorption capacity of global high-end products, advanced technologies, and high-quality services through demand side upgrading to drive supply side quality improvement. Continuously expanding the import of high-quality goods and services, leveraging the synergistic effect of imports on industrial upgrading and consumption upgrading, expanding the import of key technology equipment, energy resources, and high-quality consumer goods, and optimizing the import structure. Steadily expanding the opening up of service sectors such as telecommunications, healthcare, education, and cultural tourism, providing stable and broad market space for global trading partners. Create a market-oriented, rule of law, international first-class business environment, fully implement national treatment for foreign-funded enterprises, ensure fair competition between domestic and foreign-funded enterprises, strengthen intellectual property protection, and enable enterprises from all countries to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results in the Chinese market.
Consolidate the foundation of development through the linkage of internal and external circulation. To promote the optimization and upgrading of industrial and supply chains, open up to promote the reconstruction of industrial foundations and major technological equipment breakthroughs, guide foreign investment in advanced manufacturing, strategic emerging industries, green and low-carbon fields, and support the deep integration of foreign R&D centers with the domestic innovation system. By combining "bringing in" and "going out", we aim to enhance the independent and controllable capabilities of key industrial chains in open cooperation. To build a diversified and balanced international trade network, while consolidating the traditional market, we should deepen our efforts in emerging markets such as the countries members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and the countries co constructing the "the Belt and Road", promote the formation of a diversified supply chain layout, and reduce excessive dependence on the single market. Promote the integrated development of domestic and foreign trade, promote the same line, standard and quality of domestic and foreign trade products, support enterprises to coordinate the use of domestic and international markets and resources, smooth the bottlenecks of domestic and international dual circulation, and effectively enhance the resilience and vitality of economic development.
2、 Deepen institutional openness and enhance the strategic ability to shape rules
In the new stage of accelerating global economic and trade competition from cost competition and scale competition to rule competition and standard competition, institutional openness has become a key variable for China to shape new international competitive advantages. Currently, a significant feature of the reshaping of the international economic and trade landscape is the weakening of the authority of multilateral rules. Regional rules, unilateral measures, green standards, and digital rules are intertwined and stacked, and more and more trade frictions are no longer manifested as traditional tariff conflicts, but as disputes over the power to set rules, dominate standards, and interpret systems. For example, the protectionist tendencies of the United States' foreign economic and trade policies have not decreased, and the European Union has officially implemented a carbon border adjustment mechanism. In the face of such changes, China cannot passively respond solely based on market size and industrial advantages. It must place a more prominent position in deepening institutional opening up, actively connect with high standard international economic and trade rules, and enhance its strategic capabilities in the global economic and trade rule system.
To connect with international high standard economic and trade rules through high-level openness. The key to institutional openness lies in promoting a higher level of connection between domestic institutional arrangements and international high standard economic and trade rules around key areas such as rules, regulations, management, and standards. We need to deeply implement the strategy of upgrading the pilot free trade zone, build the Hainan Free Trade Port with high standards, and turn the pilot free trade zone and free trade port into important platforms for rule docking, institutional innovation, and stress testing. Actively carry out pilot projects around key areas such as intellectual property protection, government procurement, and environmental standards, and promote the formation of more replicable and promotable institutional innovation achievements. Adhere to promoting reform through opening up and strengthening opening up through reform, continuously enhance the systematicity, synergy, and effectiveness of China's institutional opening up, and make institutional opening truly an important support for China's participation in international economic and trade cooperation.
Focus on cutting-edge fields and actively enhance the ability to shape rules. Currently, the forefront of global economic and trade rule restructuring is accelerating from traditional goods trade to areas such as digital trade, cross-border data flow, green and low-carbon standards, and supply chain security. Whoever can put forward rule proposals and provide institutional solutions in these key areas is more likely to take the initiative in future international competition. We should strengthen forward-looking research and institutional reserves around key areas such as digital trade facilitation, cross-border data flow, and green certification, and explore the formation of institutional arrangements that are in line with international development trends and meet China's development stage and security requirements. Especially between efficiency and safety, openness and regulation, development and standardization, accelerate the formation of a system balance plan with Chinese characteristics, and continuously improve China's ability to provide rules and set issues in new fields and tracks.
Firmly uphold the multilateral trading system in the game of rules. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that "steadily expanding institutional openness and maintaining the multilateral trading system". Institutional openness is not about unilaterally adapting to external rules, nor is it about passively making concessions in rule competition. It is about actively shaping an international economic and trade environment that is conducive to China and the vast number of developing countries on the basis of adhering to the principle of multilateralism. In response to the abuse of unilateral tools such as the "301 investigation" by certain countries and their interference in the international economic and trade order through domestic laws, China must adhere to its principled stance, promote the return of disputes to the multilateral framework, and properly handle differences through dialogue and consultation. At the same time, in response to the spillover effects of EU carbon border regulation mechanisms and other rules, it is necessary to enhance the adaptability of rules and institutional response capabilities, accelerate the improvement of green standard systems, carbon accounting systems, and trade compliance systems, and strive to transform external pressures into important opportunities to enhance the ability to shape rules and industry competitiveness.
3、 Promote the upgrading of trade structure and enhance the strategic resilience of international competition
In the face of the new trend of global economic and trade competition accelerating from scale expansion to quality improvement, and from cost advantage competition to comprehensive competitive advantage competition, it is necessary to place the promotion of trade structure upgrading in a more prominent position. Based on the advantages of China's complete industrial system, huge market size, and rich application scenarios, we should comprehensively promote the improvement of service trade quality and efficiency, innovative development of digital trade, and accelerated cultivation of green trade. We should enhance our ability to resist risks in optimizing the structure, shape new advantages in improving quality, and effectively build the strategic foundation for China's participation in international competition.
Strengthen service trade and promote the leap of trade from "commodity led" to "service value-added". In line with the trend of service-oriented development in the manufacturing industry, we will vigorously develop the export of high value-added services such as research and development design, digital content, finance, consulting, and supply chain management, promote the deep integration of "product+service", drive the improvement and efficiency of goods trade, enhance trade added value and comprehensive competitiveness. By leveraging digital technology, we will accelerate the development of new models such as cross-border delivery, remote services, and platform based services, promote the expansion of service exports to knowledge intensive and technology intensive fields, and cultivate a "China Service" brand with international competitiveness. Support manufacturing enterprises to extend from single product output to system integration, overall solutions, and full lifecycle services, increase the proportion of service links in exports, and enhance value creation capabilities. By enhancing the specialization, digitization, and branding level of service trade, we will continuously strengthen China's embedding depth and comprehensive competitiveness in the global value chain.
Accelerate the development of digital trade and cultivate new drivers of trade growth. Digital technology, especially artificial intelligence, is becoming an important incremental driver of trade growth. Accelerating the development of digital trade is conducive to expanding new space for foreign trade growth. China should rely on the advantages of digital technology and platform economy, comply with the higher requirements of digital trade for computing power, network and platform, promote the construction of new infrastructure such as data center, cloud computing, industrial Internet, and improve cross-border digital delivery capacity and digital transaction carrying capacity. Efforts will be made to improve the governance system for cross-border data flow, coordinate and make good use of institutional tools such as data export security assessment and standard contracts, accelerate the construction of a data cross-border flow institutional system that is compatible with the development of digital trade, and provide more powerful data element guarantees for the high-quality development of digital trade. Accelerate the cultivation of internationally competitive digital service brands and platform enterprises, promote the integrated development of digital technology research and development, application, and trade, and promote the deep integration of digital technology with manufacturing and service industries. At the same time, we will develop and strengthen new formats and models such as cross-border e-commerce, overseas warehouses, and digital ordering, and enhance the ability of small and medium-sized enterprises to explore international markets through platforms. Strengthen the integration with international high standard economic and trade rules, actively participate in the formulation of digital trade rules and standards, and enhance China's voice and influence in global digital trade governance.
Actively expanding green trade and building new sustainable competitive advantages. The global green and low-carbon transformation continues to deepen, and climate governance, carbon pricing, environmental standards, and green industry policies are having a profound impact on reshaping the global economic and trade landscape. China should follow the global trend of green and low-carbon transformation, promote the export of green products and services, continuously enhance the international competitiveness of green and low-carbon related products in key areas such as new energy vehicles, lithium batteries, and photovoltaic products, actively develop sustainable fuel trade, and enhance the comprehensive output capacity of green products, technologies, and services. Improve the green standard system and certification mechanism, establish institutional arrangements for carbon footprint accounting, green certification, environmental information disclosure, etc., promote better integration between relevant standards and international rules, improve the traceability data system throughout the entire process, and enhance the ability of enterprises to respond to external green rules such as carbon border adjustment mechanisms. At the same time, guide enterprises to combine coping with green barriers with promoting technological and product upgrades, and cultivate new trade growth points in green transformation.
4、 Building an open and inclusive international cooperation network, expanding global strategic layout
Building an open and inclusive international cooperation network and expanding global strategic layout is not only a practical need to respond to the profound adjustment of the global economic and trade pattern, but also an important measure to enhance China's resilience in open development and grasp strategic initiative. Currently, the trend of fragmentation in the international economic and trade rules system is on the rise, with increasing unilateralism, protectionism, and various non-tariff barriers. Competition among major powers continues to spread to the economic and trade fields, and the restructuring of global industrial and supply chains has become more prominent with a focus on safety. The uncertainty of the external environment has significantly increased. Only by actively expanding diverse and stable international cooperation space, promoting the formation of a global cooperation network with wider coverage, tighter connections, and stronger resilience, can we effectively disperse external shocks, enhance the resilience of industrial and supply chains, and expand the strategic depth of China's open development.
Deepen regional economic and trade cooperation, and consolidate the development foundation of the surrounding areas. Actively maintaining close economic and trade ties with neighboring countries is conducive to reducing cross-border logistics and institutional transaction costs, stabilizing the supply of key intermediate goods, and enhancing China's resilience in the face of increasing external shocks. We should rely on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement to continuously promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation within the region, better unleash institutional effects such as tariff reductions, customs clearance facilitation, and rule linkage, reduce institutional transaction costs within the region, and improve the efficiency of cross-border allocation of resource factors. By continuously improving the level of regional economic integration, we aim to solidify the regional foundation for China's participation in global division of labor, expansion of international markets, and enhancement of openness and resilience.
Expand cooperation space with countries in the global South and build a diversified market system. The collective rise of countries in the global South is profoundly changing the direction of the evolution of the international economic and trade landscape. As the proportion of emerging economies and developing countries in global trade continues to rise, the global market is evolving from being dominated by traditional developed economies towards a more diversified and decentralized pattern. Relying on the joint construction of the "the Belt and Road" and other cooperation platforms, we should continue to deepen practical cooperation with countries in the South in trade and investment, digital economy, green development and other fields, and promote the upgrading of economic and trade ties from commodity exchange oriented to industrial synergy and rule docking. Based on the differences in resource endowments, industrial structures, and development stages among countries, we aim to promote the formation of more competitive cooperation models, enhance the stability, hierarchy, and sustainability of cooperation. Accelerate the construction of a more balanced, diversified, and resilient international market layout, providing solid support for China to stabilize foreign trade and investment in a complex external environment.
Firmly uphold the multilateral trading system and enhance the ability to participate in global governance. The current trend of fragmentation in the international economic and trade rules system is on the rise, with frequent unilateral measures and discriminatory policies. Geopolitical factors continue to impact the global trade order, but the multilateral trading system remains an important institutional foundation for maintaining stability in the international economic and trade order. For China, firmly maintaining the multilateral trading system is not only a practical need to safeguard its own development rights and interests, but also a responsibility to promote the development of economic globalization towards a more open and inclusive direction. We must firmly oppose unilateralism and protectionism, promote the return of economic and trade disputes to the multilateral rules framework, properly handle differences through dialogue and consultation, and enhance the stability of international economic and trade rules. We will comprehensively promote regional cooperation, South South cooperation, and multilateral cooperation, actively participate in rule consultations, issue setting, and mechanism construction, continuously enhance global governance participation capabilities and institutional discourse power, and expand strategic space and win development momentum in complex international games.