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On March 13, Premier Li Keqiang, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and leader of the Central Leading Group for the Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia Pandemic, inspected the service platform of operation and circulation of the national market and the coordination mechanism of foreign trade and investment.
During the inspection, to carry out the spirit of President Xi Jinping’s instructions, Premier Li emphasized the need to coordinate pandemic prevention and control efforts with economic and social development, promote the normal operation of the commerce and logistics market, deepen the reform and opening up, unleash huge consumption potential, stabilize basic foreign investment, and enhance the momentum of economic development in accordance with the decisions made by the Party Central Committee and the State Council.
The responsible persons of relevant departments reported on the current situation of the consumer market, logistics, and the resumption of work and production of tertiary industries. Li noted that all parties are working together to strengthen emergency management and enable the market to play its role in the face of the serious difficulties brought about by the pandemic, ensuring the market supply in Hubei and the country as a whole, and in particular meeting the demands of prevention and control supplies, as well as daily necessities. The price of major commodities is essentially remaining stable, which provides solid support for fighting the pandemic. This is not an easy thing to do and therefore bodes well.
Currently, relevant people must seize the opportunity to continue to improve the situation of pandemic prevention and control. On the premise of accurately and effectively preventing the pandemic from rebounding, the government should promote the resumption of business and logistics in an orderly manner, place high importance on the role of new businesses such as online and platform businesses, promote online and offline integration, provide smooth product circulation, and energize the consumer market. Li was particularly concerned about the implementation of the government’s recent policies for companies. He emphasized that whether companies and individual businesses have resumed work or not, they can all enjoy the benefit of the policies to alleviate their difficulties, making sure that these equitable and inclusive policies are put into place. All relevant departments should put forward policies to stimulate consumption and expand effective domestic demand based on the actual situation on the ground.
Li specifically spoke to the person in charge of Yiwu Commodity City by video link, saying that more than 2 million small- and medium-sized companies are conducting business with 219 countries and regions around the world. In 2019, the import and export trade volume exceeded 290 billion RMB, and Yiwu Commodity City was regarded as a “window” for observing China’s foreign trade. Li asked about the impact of the pandemic on international trade business, the progress they have made in the resumption of work and production, and what support they need from the government. The person in charge replied that the pandemic is having a definite impact on normal business, but current international orders haven’t reduced by much. Many supplies cannot meet the demand of the international market due to the slow progress of domestic resumption of production, which is impacting exports. Li complimented Yiwu on its small commodities becoming a big business card—small commodities but a big market!
The government will work to effectively expand the domestic market demand, and meanwhile strive to maintain the proper international market shares. Li hopes that Yiwu commodities will “take the lead” and become an even larger business card in foreign trade and investment. (Translated by Zhang Jiajia, edited by Kendra Fiddler)
Source text:
xinhuanet.com/2020-03/13/c_1125709676.htm
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