Improve laws and regulations, promote the integration of standards and certification... 15 "hardcore" measures to promote the integrated development of domestic and foreign trade

Recently, the General Office of the State Council issued the "Opinions on Promoting the Integration of Domestic and Foreign Trade Development," making a series of arrangements to promote the integration of domestic and foreign trade, form a strong domestic market, and smooth the dual circulation of domestic and international markets.

What is the background for this important document involving about 20 departments and units? What considerations were made? How will it better support high-quality development?

Over the years, the scale of China's domestic and foreign trade market has been growing, becoming the world's second-largest consumer market and the largest goods trading country. In 2021, China's total retail sales of consumer goods exceeded 44 trillion yuan, and the total import and export of goods exceeded 39 trillion yuan.

"The connection between domestic and foreign trade markets is active. In recent years, foreign trade enterprises have actively explored the domestic market, and domestic trade enterprises have actively expanded overseas markets. The integration of domestic and foreign trade is accelerating," said a relevant person in charge from the Ministry of Commerce.

While the scale of domestic and foreign trade markets is expanding, it should also be noted that China's economic development faces triple pressures of demand contraction, supply shocks, and weakening expectations, with increased uncertainties in domestic and foreign trade. For example, some foreign trade enterprises still face difficulties such as high freight costs, rising raw material prices, and adaptation issues when switching to domestic sales.

"The integration of domestic and foreign trade is an inevitable requirement to accelerate the construction of a new development pattern," said Bai Ming, Deputy Director of the International Market Research Institute of the Ministry of Commerce Research Institute. Domestic and foreign trade are important links connecting domestic and international markets and smoothing the dual circulation. The issuance of these opinions will help enterprises explore broader markets and bring more high-quality products and services to domestic consumers.

To further help enterprises make good use of the two markets and two resources, the opinions propose 15 measures from four aspects, including improving laws and regulations, strengthening rule alignment, promoting standard certification connection, and improving the domestic and foreign logistics network.

"The opinions make detailed arrangements in areas such as standard certification connection and international rule alignment. This will not only better serve enterprises in exploring domestic and international markets but also represent a higher level of opening up," said Zhuang Rui, professor at the National Institute of Opening-up Studies of the University of International Business and Economics. This move is conducive to enhancing China's competitive advantage and discourse power in the global economic and trade field and integrating into the international economic cycle at a higher level of openness.

Bai Ming believes that the integration of domestic and foreign trade is not a zero-sum game. The government should guide foreign trade enterprises to find the right market positioning, seek differentiated competition, and promote the quality upgrading of related domestic industries through healthy competition, optimizing the supply structure.

It is worth noting that these opinions involve about 20 departments and units. For example, promoting the digital development of domestic and foreign trade involves the Ministry of Commerce and other departments; advancing the same line, same standard, and same quality of domestic and foreign trade products involves the State Administration for Market Regulation and other departments; innovating and promoting talent training models such as "foreign language + vocational skills" involves the Ministry of Education and other departments; strengthening fiscal and financial support involves the Ministry of Finance, the People's Bank of China, the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, and other departments...

Bai Ming said that the integrated development of domestic and foreign trade is not only reflected in market integration but also requires strengthening the integration of systems and mechanisms. Relevant departments should work hard on system and mechanism reforms, avoid "each sweeping in front of their own door," strengthen cross-departmental cooperation, and improve management efficiency and service levels.

"The fact that so many departments are involved in these opinions fully shows that the integrated development of domestic and foreign trade is not a temporary or one-time matter but a long-term consideration and arrangement," said Zhuang Rui.

Relevant persons in charge from the Ministry of Commerce, the General Administration of Customs, and other departments stated that the next step will be to implement the requirements of the opinions in detail, improve working mechanisms, continuously optimize management services, improve the domestic and foreign connectivity network, and enhance the level of integrated development of domestic and foreign trade among market entities.