National Business Daily:

In the first half of this year, China's cross-border e-commerce maintained steady growth and exhibited positive development momentum. What measures will the MOFCOM implement to further promote the development of cross-border e-commerce?

Li Yongjie:

I will invite Mr. Li to answer this question.

Li Xingqian:

Thank you for your interest in cross-border e-commerce development. In the first half of the year, China's cross-border e-commerce imports and exports maintained stable growth. The growth rate reached 10.5%, 4.4 percentage points higher than overall national foreign trade growth. From a market perspective, our trade with countries like France, Belgium, Spain and Malaysia has grown rapidly. Consumer goods are the main export products, and some high-value-added products show strong growth momentum. For example, exports of office equipment increased by 50.7%, and camera exports grew by 30.7%. Imported goods from overseas are popular among domestic consumers, with food imports increasing by 22.8%, luggage imports growing by 70.8% and wine imports rising by 55.4%. Geographically, coastal regions such as Guangdong and Zhejiang are the main drivers of cross-border e-commerce trade, accounting for nearly 90% of the national total. According to a recent survey we conducted, nearly 80% of cross-border e-commerce enterprises are optimistic about growth prospects in the second half of the year.

Next, we will implement the plans from the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, continue to adhere to the principle of encouraging innovation and conducting regulation in a tolerant and prudent way, and focus on doing a good job in two aspects:

On the one hand, we will optimize the service ecology. We will implement special policies for cross-border e-commerce, support the development of cross-border e-commerce to empower industrial belts as well as guide local governments to cultivate a number of development models. We will promote through on-site meetings between comprehensive pilot zones the exchange of experience with cross-border e-commerce. We will support the cultivation of cross-border e-commerce brands. At the same time, we will also give full play to the role of local industry organizations, improve the level of industry self-regulation as well as guide cross-border e-commerce companies to operate within compliance, to compete in an orderly manner and to actively fulfill their social responsibilities. In the second half of the year, we will also hold the 136th Canton Fair, which is also known as the "Autumn Fair." At the Canton Fair, we will continue to set up a special exhibition area for cross-border e-commerce. We will encourage Chinese logistics companies to strengthen international cooperation with host country's courier delivery companies, especially to increase efforts to enhance the "last kilometer" performance of cross-border e-commerce companies.

On the other hand, we will deepen international cooperation, actively participate in international multilateral and bilateral negotiation as well as take advantage of the bilateral joint economic and trade committees and standing working groups on promoting trade cooperation as communication mechanisms to promote the experiences, practices and achievements of our cross-border e-commerce development. We should vigorously develop "Silk Road e-commerce" and support comprehensive pilot zones for cross-border e-commerce. Industries and enterprises at all levels need to actively carry out international exchanges and cooperation. We encourage cross-border e-commerce platforms to expand their categories and service functions of goods, and support the healthy development of e-commerce platforms of consumer goods mainly for C-end, as well as the innovative development of e-commerce platforms for industrial equipment, semi-finished products and parts mainly for B-end. Thank you.