Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed efforts to build higher-level pilot free trade zones (FTZs), urging FTZs to be pioneers in breaking new ground and tackling tough challenges.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a recent instruction on advancing the construction of pilot FTZs.

Over the past decade, pilot FTZs have launched a large number of basic and pioneering measures of reform and opening-up, and made iconic and leading institutional innovation achievements, playing their role as a comprehensive experimental platform for reform and opening-up, Xi noted.

Xi urged efforts to summarize ten years of construction experience, vigorously implement the country's strategy of improving pilot FTZs, and carry out explorations at a deeper level and in a wider field.

Guided by high-level opening-up and centered on institutional innovation, the pilot FTZs should coordinate development and security, and align with international economic and trade rules with high standards, he said.

Xi also called for promoting the institutional opening-up and innovative development of the entire industrial chains to allow pilot FTZs to better play a demonstration role.

(With input from Xinhua)

(Cover: A view of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone in east China's Shanghai, August 1, 2023. /Xinhua)