China vows to further expand market access and imports
Premier Li Qiang said on Sunday that China will further expand market access and imports, promote opening up and market opportunities, and remove barriers to foreign investment in manufacturing.  Addressing the opening ceremony of the annual China International Import Expo in Shanghai, Li said the country's imports of goods and services are expected to reach a cumulative US$17 trillion over the next five years.  He added that authorities will soon release a plan to promote high-standard institutional opening up in the Shanghai free trade zone. "We will continue to promote opening up and the further synchronisation of rules. Promoting institutional opening up is among China's important measures of promoting high-standard opening up," he said in a keynote speech. "Right now, five free trade zones like Shanghai and the Hainan free trade port have already become pilots. We will continue to deepen reforms in relevant fields in the country, to build more high-level open platforms." The Premier also echoed President Xi Jinping's comments that the global economy is facing countercurrents, and China will work with countries around the world to achieve mutual success. Li stressed that China will stand on the right side of history and strongly oppose unilateralism and protectionism, while maintaining the authoritativeness and effectiveness of the multilateral trade system. He said the country will be fully involved in the reforms of the World Trade Organisation and supports having the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement take effect as soon as possible.