China persists in offering opportunities globally
China is developing a comprehensive and multi-tiered bilateral framework aimed at enhancing its cordial interactions with nations globally.
TroibNews 
Editor's note: Zhou Jianjun is an assistant researcher at the Institute of State System Research and School of Economics, Zhejiang University. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CN. It has been translated from Chinese and edited for brevity and clarity.
In recent years, China has made significant strides in institutional opening up, fostering a more extensive and integrated approach that encompasses a wide array of sectors. Currently, China is a key trading partner for over 150 countries and regions, with its overall tariff level reduced to 7.3 percent, nearing that of developed member states of the World Trade Organization.
China has reaffirmed its pledge to adhere to its core policy of opening up, promoting high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, further embedding itself into the regional and global economy, and seeking mutual benefits and win-win outcomes at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos.
The nation is focused on cultivating a high-quality global 'circle of friends' as a foundation for high-level opening up. China has historically prioritized foreign relations and bilateral exchanges to enhance trade and economic ties. Presently, it is constructing a multi-tiered, multidimensional bilateral framework to further strengthen friendly interactions with countries worldwide.
At the national level, China has forged partnerships with more than 113 countries and regional organizations, establishing higher-level strategic cooperative partnerships with some nations. On July 15, 2024, during the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Fu Cong, urged the international community to maintain a development-oriented approach and revitalize global development partnerships.
Locally, as of December 2024, China has developed 3,069 friendship city relationships with 147 countries across five continents. The China International Friendship Cities Conference 2024 was held in Kunming on November 11, 2024, under the theme 'Common Prosperity, Shared Future', where representatives of foreign sister cities engaged in comprehensive discussions on topics such as technological innovation, green development, historical and cultural ties, and transportation connectivity.
Additionally, China has enhanced bilateral relations through initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and the development of free trade zones. Through institutional innovations, China is steering high-level opening up and integrating more effectively into the global economy, sharing its development opportunities to achieve mutual benefits and win-win scenarios.
China's foreign trade has been a significant contributor to global economic growth, ensuring a stable market for high-quality development. In 2024, China's export volume reached 25.45 trillion yuan, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 7.1 percent, marking the eighth consecutive year of growth. The import volume was recorded at 18.39 trillion yuan, up 2.3 percent, exceeding the global average by one percentage point.
By supplying affordable and high-quality industrial products globally and offering a substantial market demand, China has played a vital role in stimulating global economic growth. The country continues to nurture new drivers for foreign trade, actively expanding high-level opening up and stabilizing foreign trade and investment. On November 26, 2024, the Second China International Supply Chain Expo was held in Beijing, promoting industrial and supply chain cooperation under the theme 'Connecting the World for a Shared Future'.
Simultaneously, China has bolstered exchanges with global traders through international platforms such as the China Import and Export Fair, the China International Import Expo, and the Global Trade and Investment Promotion Summit, fostering collaboration to enhance foreign trade and promote high-level opening up.
Furthermore, China has accelerated its digital transformation efforts, presenting new opportunities for global economic development. This transformation is pivotal for driving global economic growth, and with its robust infrastructure, vast data, and diverse digital application scenarios, China possesses distinct advantages in this domain.
By June 2024, there were over 4,500 AI-related enterprises operating in China, with the core industry’s scale approaching 600 billion yuan and a generative AI product user base of 230 million. The Chinese government has introduced a range of policy measures to expedite digital transformation among enterprises, aiming to catalyze industrial digitization and digital industrialization. This strategy seeks to unlock greater digital dividends and promote high-quality economic development. Given the significant spillover effects of the digital economy, China's digital transformation initiatives not only benefit its own economy but also stimulate similar initiatives in other countries, contributing to a new wave of global digital advancement.
China has also focused on reducing carbon emissions, curbing pollution, promoting green development, and fostering economic growth, positioning itself as a leader in the global green transition. The importance of balancing economic benefits with environmental sustainability is emphasized, as "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets."
The 2024 Central Economic Work Conference identified cutting carbon emissions and reducing pollution as one of the top nine priorities for China's economic agenda in 2025. The Chinese government is actively promoting new energy vehicles, with forecasts from the China Passenger Car Association suggesting that sales of new energy passenger cars in China will reach 13.3 million units by 2025, achieving a domestic market penetration of 57 percent. Additionally, there are ongoing efforts to control pollution, exemplified by a 3.6 percent year-on-year decrease in the average concentration of fine particulate matter in the air for cities at or above the prefecture level during the first three quarters of 2024.
Significant advancements in green development have also been made, such as the successful completion on November 28, 2024, of the 3,046 km green sand control barrier around the Taklamakan Desert—the world's longest ecological barrier surrounding a desert. China's commitment to green development not only serves as a national policy objective but also resonates with the global aspiration for environmental sustainability. China's endeavors to reduce carbon emissions and pollution, as well as promote sustainable development, have benefited its own citizens while contributing to the global green transition, providing valuable insights and guidance for other nations pursuing green initiatives.
China's development is inherently intertwined with the global landscape, and global prosperity also relies on China. Currently, China is accelerating the establishment of a new development paradigm that prioritizes domestic circulation while reinforcing both domestic and international interactions, aiming to create a higher-level open economy. The nation remains steadfast in its confidence regarding its path, theory, system, culture, and history. With an open mindset, China embraces the world, engaging in political mutual trust, economic and trade interactions, and cultural exchanges with countries worldwide. Moving forward, China is expected to introduce more innovative incremental measures and provide new opportunities for countries that are continuously seeking their own development pathways.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
In recent years, China has made significant strides in institutional opening up, fostering a more extensive and integrated approach that encompasses a wide array of sectors. Currently, China is a key trading partner for over 150 countries and regions, with its overall tariff level reduced to 7.3 percent, nearing that of developed member states of the World Trade Organization.
China has reaffirmed its pledge to adhere to its core policy of opening up, promoting high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, further embedding itself into the regional and global economy, and seeking mutual benefits and win-win outcomes at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos.
The nation is focused on cultivating a high-quality global 'circle of friends' as a foundation for high-level opening up. China has historically prioritized foreign relations and bilateral exchanges to enhance trade and economic ties. Presently, it is constructing a multi-tiered, multidimensional bilateral framework to further strengthen friendly interactions with countries worldwide.
At the national level, China has forged partnerships with more than 113 countries and regional organizations, establishing higher-level strategic cooperative partnerships with some nations. On July 15, 2024, during the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Fu Cong, urged the international community to maintain a development-oriented approach and revitalize global development partnerships.
Locally, as of December 2024, China has developed 3,069 friendship city relationships with 147 countries across five continents. The China International Friendship Cities Conference 2024 was held in Kunming on November 11, 2024, under the theme 'Common Prosperity, Shared Future', where representatives of foreign sister cities engaged in comprehensive discussions on topics such as technological innovation, green development, historical and cultural ties, and transportation connectivity.
Additionally, China has enhanced bilateral relations through initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and the development of free trade zones. Through institutional innovations, China is steering high-level opening up and integrating more effectively into the global economy, sharing its development opportunities to achieve mutual benefits and win-win scenarios.
China's foreign trade has been a significant contributor to global economic growth, ensuring a stable market for high-quality development. In 2024, China's export volume reached 25.45 trillion yuan, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 7.1 percent, marking the eighth consecutive year of growth. The import volume was recorded at 18.39 trillion yuan, up 2.3 percent, exceeding the global average by one percentage point.
By supplying affordable and high-quality industrial products globally and offering a substantial market demand, China has played a vital role in stimulating global economic growth. The country continues to nurture new drivers for foreign trade, actively expanding high-level opening up and stabilizing foreign trade and investment. On November 26, 2024, the Second China International Supply Chain Expo was held in Beijing, promoting industrial and supply chain cooperation under the theme 'Connecting the World for a Shared Future'.
Simultaneously, China has bolstered exchanges with global traders through international platforms such as the China Import and Export Fair, the China International Import Expo, and the Global Trade and Investment Promotion Summit, fostering collaboration to enhance foreign trade and promote high-level opening up.
Furthermore, China has accelerated its digital transformation efforts, presenting new opportunities for global economic development. This transformation is pivotal for driving global economic growth, and with its robust infrastructure, vast data, and diverse digital application scenarios, China possesses distinct advantages in this domain.
By June 2024, there were over 4,500 AI-related enterprises operating in China, with the core industry’s scale approaching 600 billion yuan and a generative AI product user base of 230 million. The Chinese government has introduced a range of policy measures to expedite digital transformation among enterprises, aiming to catalyze industrial digitization and digital industrialization. This strategy seeks to unlock greater digital dividends and promote high-quality economic development. Given the significant spillover effects of the digital economy, China's digital transformation initiatives not only benefit its own economy but also stimulate similar initiatives in other countries, contributing to a new wave of global digital advancement.
China has also focused on reducing carbon emissions, curbing pollution, promoting green development, and fostering economic growth, positioning itself as a leader in the global green transition. The importance of balancing economic benefits with environmental sustainability is emphasized, as "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets."
The 2024 Central Economic Work Conference identified cutting carbon emissions and reducing pollution as one of the top nine priorities for China's economic agenda in 2025. The Chinese government is actively promoting new energy vehicles, with forecasts from the China Passenger Car Association suggesting that sales of new energy passenger cars in China will reach 13.3 million units by 2025, achieving a domestic market penetration of 57 percent. Additionally, there are ongoing efforts to control pollution, exemplified by a 3.6 percent year-on-year decrease in the average concentration of fine particulate matter in the air for cities at or above the prefecture level during the first three quarters of 2024.
Significant advancements in green development have also been made, such as the successful completion on November 28, 2024, of the 3,046 km green sand control barrier around the Taklamakan Desert—the world's longest ecological barrier surrounding a desert. China's commitment to green development not only serves as a national policy objective but also resonates with the global aspiration for environmental sustainability. China's endeavors to reduce carbon emissions and pollution, as well as promote sustainable development, have benefited its own citizens while contributing to the global green transition, providing valuable insights and guidance for other nations pursuing green initiatives.
China's development is inherently intertwined with the global landscape, and global prosperity also relies on China. Currently, China is accelerating the establishment of a new development paradigm that prioritizes domestic circulation while reinforcing both domestic and international interactions, aiming to create a higher-level open economy. The nation remains steadfast in its confidence regarding its path, theory, system, culture, and history. With an open mindset, China embraces the world, engaging in political mutual trust, economic and trade interactions, and cultural exchanges with countries worldwide. Moving forward, China is expected to introduce more innovative incremental measures and provide new opportunities for countries that are continuously seeking their own development pathways.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
