In response to projected decelerations in global trade, China is leveraging high-level opening up and two-way investment cooperation to foster mutually beneficial international economic partnerships. By expanding knowledge-intensive service exports, voluntarily boosting imports, and refining its investment environment, the nation continues to inject stability and momentum into the global economy.

Trade in services has emerged as a major growth engine, reaching nearly 3.78 trillion yuan ($561.94 billion) in the first half of the year—an 8.3 percent increase year-on-year—with service exports surging 17.6 percent. This expansion spans both traditional sectors, where streamlined entry policies boosted travel service exports by 31.1 percent, and high-tech industries. A key example is Baidu’s autonomous ride-hailing platform, Apollo Go, which has completed over 22 million rides across 27 cities worldwide and launched fully driverless commercial operations in the United Arab Emirates.

Simultaneously, China is advancing balanced trade by expanding market access and driving domestic consumption. First-half goods imports surpassed 10 trillion yuan for the first time, growing 22.1 percent and outpacing export growth. Through zero-tariff policies covering 63 nations—including 53 African countries—and platforms like the China International Import Expo, China is actively absorbing global goods. This robust market capacity is supported by long-term foreign investment partnerships and integrated supply chain management under the Belt and Road Initiative, creating shared development opportunities across global markets.

Source: People’s Daily