There have been doubts and suspicions about China’s open markets in the outside world. But China has come a long way in understanding what open markets mean and that is something China will not turn its back on. China learned this the hard way. In 1793, when the British trade missionary Lord Macartney proposed making trades with China, Emperor Qian Long basically slapped him on the face. Then the British kicked down the door and destroyed the old empire.  The rejection spelt 200 years of Chinese decline. 

Look at what China is doing now. National treatment, negative list, free trade port, China is not building walls or hiking tariffs despite downturn in trade. China is doing everything possible to make traders do business easier and faster in China. But of course, China wants to talk trade terms and get the best deal. Who doesn’t? Europe wants it, Japan wants it, the US wants it, China wants it too. But a rational power can only open its sectors step by step, because some of the industries are still vulnerable and could be easily wiped out by foreign competitions, like Hollywood films or big pharmaceutical companies. But a more open and transparent Chinese market is not a question of yes or no, but what and when.