General

According to the import and export data, while preparing to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (CPTPP) and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA), China has so far signed 19 free trade agreements with 26 countries and regions. The import and export data show that the trade volume with its free trade zone partners accounts for about 35% of its total trade volume.

At a regular press conference held in Beijing in September this year, Shu Jueting, spokesman of the Ministry of Commerce, said that China would "focus on expanding, improving quality and efficiency" when implementing the promotion strategy of the Free Trade Zone, and effectively connect the domestic and international markets.

Jin Hai, Director General of the General Department of the General Administration of Customs, said that in addition to continuing to promote the current free trade zone negotiations, the government will also work hard to reach free trade agreements with more willing trading partners to jointly safeguard regional economic integration, trade and investment liberalization and facilitation.

A survey released by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) in late September showed that the confidence of Chinese exporters rose in the third quarter, with a month on month increase in revenue and profits.

The import and export data show that 45.1% of Chinese exporters' confidence gradually recovered in the third quarter, and the annual trade volume of more than 30% of Chinese exporters is expected to achieve year-on-year growth. The import and export data show that the national level is 4.09 percentage points higher than the second quarter.

Sun Xiao, spokesman of the Beijing Council for the Promotion of International Trade, said that China's export structure had been significantly optimized and upgraded. The import and export data showed that the export of mechanical and electrical products - computers, cars, smartphones and other high-end goods - increased proportionally in foreign trade.

He said that this model has reshaped China's role from a manufacturer of low-end products such as furniture and clothing to a provider of high value-added industries such as electric vehicles and liquefied natural gas carriers.

For the 2022 FIFA World Cup to be held in Qatar in November and December, many domestic companies are shipping all kinds of goods, from football to toys, while Hegel Bus Co., Ltd., a bus and truck manufacturer in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, delivered 1815 buses to Qatar late last month. All of these will be used in this year's championship.

"Because Chinese manufacturers have obvious advantages in cost control and production execution, many overseas orders for electric and fuel powered buses have flowed into our factories in recent years," said Chen Yi, head of the company's business and financing department.

Chen Yi said that with the previous export orders to Qatar, the company will provide more than 6000 coaches for the World Cup later this year.