China's trade in goods has ranked first in the world for seven consecutive years, and the country is now a major trading partner with more than 150 countries and regions, according to China's General Administration of Customs.
China's foreign trade in 2023 increased by over 17 trillion yuan ($2.34 trillion) from 2012, representing an average annual growth of 1.6 trillion yuan, with the number of foreign trade enterprises nearly doubled, said Zhao Zenglian, deputy chief of the General Administration of Customs, at a press conference on Tuesday.
As the country's foreign trade structure continues to improve, China's exports of high-tech products increased by six percent year-on-year in 2023, accounting for 18.7 percent of total export value, Zhao added.
A view of east China's Yangshan Deep Water Port, July 17, 2024. /CFP
In response to accusations of "overcapacity" from some Western countries, Zhao pointed out that the false narrative contradicts the rules of market economy. China's new energy products are not facing overcapacity, but enriching global supply and representing China's contribution to the global response to climate change, said Zhao.
The customs also vowed to provide better customs clearance supervision and services for expanding imports, making China's vast market a great opportunity for the world.