MNI BRIEF: China Trade VP Urges Free Trade Implementation

Chinese authorities hope local governments, overseas business organisations and enterprises will do a good job implementing free trade agreements and promote the high-quality development of foreign trade, Li Chenggang, international trade negotiation representative and vice minister of the Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday.

Speaking at an online promotional event themed on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP), Li highlighted China has signed 23 FTAs with 30 countries and regions, with the RCEP playing a vital role in promoting regional trade and investment. 

China is likely to emphasise the need to stabilise manufacturing value-added as a proportion of GDP in its next five-year plan, a policy advisor told MNI. (See MNI INTERVIEW: China To Stabilise Manufacturing)