By YUAN SHENGGAO
Zhong Shan, deputy director of the Committee on Economic Affairs of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, hosted a seminar in Guangzhou, capital city of South China’s Guangdong province, to solicit opinions from business representatives on how to improve the comprehensive competitiveness of China’s foreign trade.The seminar took place on the sidelines of the 130th China Import and Export Fair, which was held from Oct 15-19 in Guangzhou.Representatives from 10 foreign trade companies in Guangdong were invited to the seminar. Vice-Minister of Commerce Ren Hongbin presided over the event, which was also attended by Vice-Governor of Guangdong Zhang Xin and other officials from the local CPPCC committees.At the seminar, officials from the Guangdong Department of Commerce introduced the general situation of the province’s foreign trade.Business representatives’ suggestions on boosting foreign trade included increasing investment in research and development, optimizing operational procedures, innovating on business models and enhancing collaborations among various industries.The representatives noted that the central authorities have already proposed a series of measures to offset the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic and stabilize foreign trade, which have played an important role in helping enterprises overcome challenges.Zhong Shan said General Secretary Xi Jinping required an innovative development in foreign trade, which should be the guideline for foreign trade businesses to improve their competitiveness.
