SHANGHAI - China will further expand market access and increase imports, its premier told a trade fair in Shanghai on Sunday,Premier Li Qiang told the opening ceremony of the annual China International Import Expo that the country was committed to opening up its economy, and that imports of goods and services were set to reach a cumulative US$17 trillion within the next five years.
The import expo was launched by President Xi Jinping in 2018 to promote China’s free trade credentials and counter criticism of its trade surplus with many countries. However, participation in the past three years was curtailed by the pandemic. Countries including Australia and the United States have sent large delegations to the event, which runs from Nov 5-10. Participants include Micron Technology, Nestle, Burberry and L’Oreal, state media reported.
Mr Albanese, in his speech, described the relationship between the two countries as “mature” and said it was “energised by the complementary nature of our economies”.