SHANGHAI, China (Reuters) -China will further expand market access and increase imports, its premier told a trade fair in Shanghai on Sunday, amid criticism from European firms who said they wanted to see more tangible improvement in the country’s business environment.
China will promote coordinated development of trade in goods and services, protect an international business environment, and relax market access including lifting restrictions on foreign investment in manufacturing, he said.
The import expo was launched by President Xi Jinping in 2018 to promote China’s free trade credentials and counter criticism of its trade surplus with many countries.
China’s imports have slumped this year amid a slowdown in the world’s second largest economy, although data released last month indicated that the downtrend could be starting to ease.
China will “actively promote” its application to join the Comprehensive Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Li also said in his speech on Sunday.
Persons:
Li Qiang, Tingshu Wang, ” Li, Xi Jinping, Li, Anthony Albanese, “
Organizations:
Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre, China, European Chamber of Commerce, Micron Technology, Nestle, Burberry, Australian, Pacific
Locations:
SHANGHAI, China, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Afghan, Australia, United States, Taiwan, Ukraine, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Ecuador, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam, Britain