China's foreign trade showed steady growth in both volume and quality in the first nine months of this year, with the number of issued certificates of origin rising 14.94 percent year on year, according to the data released by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) on Thursday.
In the first nine months, the non-preferential certificates of origin issued by trade promotion departments across China worth 278.166 billion U.S. dollars, up 2.93 percent year on year, according to the data.
Meanwhile, the value of preferential certificates of origin issued totaled 54.7 billion U.S. dollars, up 11.96 percent year on year.
From January to September, the value of certificates of origin issued under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) reached 5.719 billion U.S. dollars, up 4.02 percent on a yearly basis.
During that period, the number of ATA Carnet, an international customs and temporary export-import document, registered a year-on-year growth of 21.34 percent to reach 8,616, covering goods valued at about 2.711 billion yuan (about 380 million U.S. dollars).
"This shows that foreign trade entities in our country have been actively exploring international opportunities by engaging in foreign trade activities and opening up overseas markets," said Sun Xiao, a spokesman for the CCPIT.
Certificates of origin are documents widely used in international trade transactions. They state that the products listed have met sufficient criteria to be considered as originating in a particular country. The issuance of these certificates is widely regarded as a barometer of foreign trade.
China's foreign trade grows steadily in Jan-Sept
Preparations are nearly complete for the seventh China International Import Expo (CIIE), set for November 5-10 in Shanghai, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.
Ministry spokesperson He Yadong said at a press conference that exhibits from over 2,700 participating companies have entered the exhibition halls, while those from more than 700 companies are still in transit and will arrive by Nov. 2.
To improve the experience for attendees, this year's CIIE has established 172 functional areas in 26 categories and added 1,523 temporary signs throughout the venue. The expo has also streamlined its registration and approval processes with a digital system.
"We are enhancing payment convenience by ensuring adequate small-denomination cash reserves, while expanding bank card transaction acceptance to include both domestic and international cards for the first time. Additionally, the expo will feature a 5,000-square-meter catering zone and offer food delivery services to all booths," said He.
The expo will also share comprehensive travel and service information via its official WeChat account, and upgrades have been made to the event's Hongqiao forum information system and the venue's navigation systems to enhance the attendee experience.
The seventh CIIE has attracted participants from 152 countries, regions and international organizations, and achieved a new record with 297 Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders set to attend.
Since its first edition in 2018, the expo has become an important showcase, spotlighting China's new development paradigm, a platform for high-standard opening up, and an opportunity for the whole world.
Preparation work for CIIE nears completion: ministry
