By Ambassador of China to Samoa Mr. Chao Xiaoliang
The 4th China International Import Expo was opened in Shanghai last Thursday.
Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech in the Opening Ceremony via video link. The Honorable Minister of Commerce, Industry and Labour of Samoa, Afioga Leatinu’u Mr. Wayne So’oialo was invited to attend the Ceremony online. Samoa also participated in the virtual Country Pavilion to showcase its achievement in social and economic fields through VR technology.
The CIIE is the world’s first import-themed national-level expo which has been held for 4 consecutive years, demonstrating China’s unswerving willingness to open up,share market opportunities and facilitate world economic recovery.
During last year’s CIIE, intended business contracts worth $72.62 billion were signed.
This year,the number of exhibitors to the expo increased to 3,000 from 2,700, and they came from 127 countries and regions, a wider representation from last year’s 120 last year.
Opening up is the hallmark of contemporary China. This year marks the 20th anniversary of China’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Over the last two decades, China has fully delivered on its accession commitments. Its overall tariff rate has been cut from 15.3 percent to 7.4 percent, lower than the 9.8 percent accession commitment.
The central government has reviewed and revised over 2,300 pieces of laws and regulations, and local governments over 190,000 pieces, which all helped to unleash market and social vitality.
Opening up has generating a new wave of domestic development while injecting fresh impetus into the world economy.
Over the last 20 years, China’s economic size has grown from the 6th to the 2nd largest in the world, trade in goods from the 6th to the 1st, and trade in services from the 11th to the 2nd.
China has led developing countries in utilized foreign investment, and its outbound direct investment (ODI) has risen from the 26th to the 1st. As the only major economy to register positive growth of trade in goods last year, China has made important contributions to keeping global industrial and supply chains stable and boosting world economic recovery.
The door of China’s opening up will never shut and China welcomes all countries to ride on its development.
China has a population of over 1.4 billion and a middle-income group of more than 400 million people. Our annual import in goods and services is valued at around US$2.5 trillion. All this offers an enormous market.
Going forward, China will lay more emphasis on expanding import, and pursue balanced development of trade.
China will open more demonstration zones for creative promotion of import trade, and optimize the catalogue of retail imports via cross-border e-commerce.
China will better integrate its domestic and foreign trade, speed up the development of international consumption center cities, promote Silk Road e-commerce, build modern logistics systems, and shore up the capacity of cross-border logistics.
As a comprehensive strategic cooperation partner of Samoa, China is ready to share development opportunities with Samoa.
This year we commemorate the 46th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Samoa. According to statistics of China Customs, our bilateral trade volume reached US$72,910,500 from January to September 2021, realizing an year on year increase of 12.5% against the trend of steep decline in global trade.
Looking into the future, more opportunities of economic and commercial cooperation lie in 3 broad focus areas, including agriculture and fishery, digital economy and tourism.
New growth momentum of export are hidden in the agriculture and fishery industry.
The local- featured raw and value-added products such as Samoa water, Noni Juice, Virgin Coconut Oil,Taro chips and Cocoa powder exhibited in the CIIE and Canto Fair have demonstrated good prospects for exporting to China.
The two governments also signed a protocol on the inspection, quarantine and sanitation requirements for marine fish exports, tapping the Chinese market potential under the premise of avoiding over-exploitation of fishing resources.
There are also opportunities associated with transshipment of fish to China.
Digital economy shall maximize the enormous potential of doing business with China. China's digital economy now accounts for more than 1/3 of its GDP and the proportion will increase to 50 percent by 2027. China is going to be the first country with its e-commerce sales outstripping bricks-and-mortar retail in 2021.
Samoa companies could now ship goods in bulk to Chinese warehouses in free trade zones before selling to customers through e-commerce platforms such as at Alibaba.
‘Buy Samoa Made’, the new brand for all products made in Samoa could be promoted via short videos on Tiktok and other live-streaming platforms.
Samoa’s pristine natural environment, splendid culture and unique way of life make it an appealing destination for Chinese tourists.
Though Samoa tourism has ground to a halt due to the pandemic currently, experience can be drawn from tourism businesses who promoted their exotic souvenirs that would normally be sold to Chinese tourists abroad directly in China.
Tourism authorities from 17 countries and more than 2,600 exhibitors with over 500,000 exhibits were displayed in the 2nd China International Cultural Tourism Fair (CICTF) held in September, inking deals worth 437 million.
Moreover, Chinese arrivals will surely resume to normal once Samoa’s border reopens. On the basis of the Agreement Between China and Samoa Relating to Civil Air Transport signed in 2016, hopefully our two countries could work together to implement it and establish the direct flight.
As a Chinese proverb reads, “The going may be tough when one walks alone, but it gets easier when people walk together.”
As the pandemic continues to pose severe challenges to both China and Samoa, it is all the more imperative that we pull together to tide over this difficult time.
China stands ready to work with Samoa in facilitating economic recovery and serving for the interest and well-being of the two peoples.