China's commerce ministry supports overseas infrastructure to bolster trade

BEIJING -- China's commerce ministry will input more to support building overseas warehouses and promote the development of overseas smart logistics platforms, an official said Tuesday.

China's foreign trade will introduce more reforms to seek high-quality development, said Commerce Minister Wang Wentao at a press conference.

In February, the State Council issued a statement approving the establishment of more cross-border e-commerce pilot zones in 27 cities and regions, he said.

It now brings the overall tally of pilot zones to 132, covering almost all provincial-level regions in China, from coastal industrial powerhouses such as Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Guangdong to inland areas.

On Tuesday, an updated list with expanded items of imported retail goods for cross-border e-commerce took effect, he said. The list, issued in April 2016, has been optimized several times and its commodity categories kept increasing.

Facing challenges and difficulties, China will further carry out policies in favor of foreign trade and safeguard the smooth operation of industrial and supply chains, he said.

China's total goods imports and exports expanded 21.4 percent year-on-year to 39.1 trillion yuan (about $6.2 trillion) in 2021.