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Last year marked the 10th anniversary of China's proposal of the Belt and Road Initiative. What are the characteristics of import and export trade between China and BRI partner countries? In addition, what new measures will China Customs take to promote the joint construction of the BRI? Thank you.

Wang Lingjun:

In October 2023, China successfully hosted the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, during which President Xi Jinping announced eight major steps China would take to support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. The joint construction of the BRI has entered a new phase of high-quality development. To mark the occasion, the GACC released the trade index between China and BRI partner countries. The index rose from 100 in 2013 to 165.4 in 2022, manifesting the achievements of trade between China and BRI partner countries over the past decade. In 2023, the trade between China and BRI partner countries continued to grow, maintaining a positive momentum. This is demonstrated in the three aspects as follows:

First, closer trade contacts. In 2023, China's trade with BRI partner countries reached 19.47 trillion yuan, growing by 2.8% year on year. This accounted for 46.6% of China's total foreign trade. Both the scale and proportion have reached the highest level since the launch of the BRI.

Second, smoother customs clearance. In 2023, China-Europe freight trains made 17,000 trips, transporting 1.9 million standard containers of cargo. This represents a year-on-year growth rate of 6% and 18%, respectively. The New Western Land-Sea Corridor transported 860,000 standard containers of cargo, increasing by 14%. Under the examination and release procedures by customs, the cargo transported through the China-Laos Railway reached 4.218 million tons, growing by 94.9%. The China-Laos Railway, a logistics "golden gateway" between China and Southeast Asia, is increasingly expanding its function. Fans of durian, for example, might have noticed that fruits from Southeast Asian countries became more abundant and fresh last year. This is attributed to the China-Laos Railway. After a direct fruit cold chain express train from Southeast Asia opened, fruit imports became smoother and more convenient. From Thailand to China's Kunming, the entire journey is conducted via a cold food chain, reducing the transportation period from five to seven days to just three days.

Third, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation have deepened further. Through trade cooperation, people's needs for a better life in various countries have been better met. China has imported fruits and dairy products from BRI partner countries and exported clothing and shoes. It has also actively supported the development of these countries' manufacturing and infrastructure sectors. In 2023, through foreign contracted projects, China's exports to BRI partner countries reached 86.1 billion yuan, marking an increase of nearly 30%.

Going forward, customs will adhere to the eight major steps announced by President Xi Jinping as the fundamental guideline. We will strengthen communication and coordination, advance cooperative mechanisms with corresponding departments of BRI partner countries, and implement the follow-up work of the signed cooperation documents on customs inspection and quarantine. We will deepen cooperation in areas such as port management, paperless plant quarantine certificates, and supply chain interconnectivity. This effort aims to facilitate trade security and smoothness with partner countries, and contribute to steady and sustained progress in high-quality BRI cooperation.

Thank you.