Ministry of Commerce: Next step will focus on building the brand "Export China" and strengthening policy coordination and support.

On April 23, the Ministry of Commerce held a routine press conference. Spokesperson He Yongqian said that in the first quarter of this year, China's imports maintained a good growth momentum, increasing by 19.6% year-on-year, demonstrating the strong resilience of China's foreign trade and the huge potential of the Chinese market. Looking at the main products, the high-tech industry is developing rapidly, with imports of integrated circuits and computer components increasing by 41.4% and 45.3% respectively. Consumer potential continues to be stimulated, with imports of consumer goods increasing by 5.4%. The domestic industry is steadily improving, with imports of bulk commodities maintaining growth, with imports of crude oil, iron ore, and grains increasing by 8.9%, 10.5%, and 11.2% respectively. He Yongqian stated that with the continuous release of China's long-term economic potential, the steady and positive trend of imports is expected to continue. In the next step, we will focus on promoting the "Export to China" brand, strengthen policy support, implement zero-tariff measures for 53 African countries with diplomatic relations, continue to successfully host the Import Expo, better play the role of the National Import Trade Facilitation and Innovation Demonstration Zone, and share new opportunities for China's development with countries around the world. The original text is as follows: He Yongqian: Dear journalists, Good afternoon, welcome to the routine press conference of the Ministry of Commerce. Today, I do not have any information to report to you. I am willing to answer questions from journalists. Please go ahead and ask your questions. The Paper Journalist: Import growth reached 19.6% in the first quarter, exceeding exports by 7.7 percentage points. How does the spokesperson view the high-speed growth of imports in the first quarter? How will you better promote the import of high-quality products from around the world and allow the world to better share the opportunities in China? He Yongqian: In the first quarter of this year, China's imports maintained a good growth momentum, increasing by 19.6% year-on-year, demonstrating the strong resilience of China's foreign trade and the huge potential of the Chinese market. Looking at the main products, the high-tech industry is developing rapidly, with imports of integrated circuits and computer components increasing by 41.4% and 45.3% respectively. Consumer potential continues to be stimulated, with imports of consumer goods increasing by 5.4%. The domestic industry is steadily improving, with imports of bulk commodities maintaining growth, with imports of crude oil, iron ore, and grains increasing by 8.9%, 10.5%, and 11.2% respectively. Looking at the sources, imports from over 150 countries and regions into China have increased, with ASEAN remaining as the largest source of imports, accounting for 14.8% of the total imports. Imports from RCEP member countries, Europe, and Latin America increased by 25%, 26.4%, and 26.3% respectively, all higher than the overall growth rate. Looking at the trading entities, all types of businesses have seen comprehensive growth. Imports by private enterprises and foreign-funded enterprises increased by 23.5% and 23% respectively, accounting for 46.9% and 32.2% of the total imports. Imports by state-owned enterprises increased by 7.5%. With the continuous release of China's long-term economic potential, the steady and positive trend of imports is expected to continue. In the next step, we will focus on promoting the "Export to China" brand, strengthen policy s...