Since the beginning of this year, China has been vigorously promoting stable trade volumes and optimising structure through a series of policy measures to support trade and enterprises. In the first half of the year, despite significant challenges, China's foreign trade has maintained steady progress, with goods trade demonstrating strong resilience and market vitality, characterised by increased volume, improved quality, and stable market share. The Political Bureau of the Central Committee meeting in late July emphasised the importance of actively fostering new momentum in foreign trade development, particularly in intermediate goods trade and green trade.

Li Yongsheng, Deputy Representative for International Trade Negotiations at the Ministry of Commerce, noted that new momentum in foreign trade has achieved positive progress this year. In the first half, cross-border e-commerce import and export reached ¥1.22 trillion, growing by 10.5%, with over 120,000 participating enterprises. Active international cooperation in trade digitalisation and green development has resulted in the 'International Economic and Trade Cooperation Framework Initiative for Digital Economy and Green Development' being agreed upon with 39 countries. The market for green and low-carbon products remains extensive, with new energy vehicles being exported to more than 170 countries and regions.

On one hand, the international trade environment is becoming increasingly complex, with rising protectionism and unilateralism bringing uncertainties to the global trade system. On the other hand, as the world's second-largest economy, China possesses vast market scale and domestic demand potential, providing broad space for foreign trade development. Meanwhile, the acceleration of a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation has made digitalisation and green development the new trends in international trade. Therefore, actively fostering new momentum in foreign trade has become a crucial strategic choice for promoting high-quality development of China's foreign trade.

From an external perspective, the trend of global economic integration continues unabated. Domestically, China's sustained and stable economic growth provides a solid foundation for foreign trade. New business formats and models are developing rapidly, such as cross-border e-commerce and market procurement trade, injecting new vitality into foreign trade. These favourable factors will promote steady development of China's foreign trade amidst the complex and changing international environment.