Boosting imports

We will continue to expand imports in hi-tech, major equipment manufacturing and environmental protection industries. We will also increase imports of resources we need.

China will not significantly raise imports of staple agricultural commodities including grain and cotton. The country usually reins in agricultural commodities imports through quotas. This is to not only protect domestic production but also to evade sharp price fluctuations on the international market caused by large purchases from China. We are obliged to avoid this.

China is expected to increase consumer product imports in line with Chinese consumer demands. Consumers have the final say in deciding what should be imported. We are trying to communicate with Western economies to alleviate controls on exports to China.

Although the country's trade surplus has been declining, we are aware of the fact that the United States still accounted for 99 percent of the $180-billion trade surplus in 2010, which shows the urgency for us to discuss the trade imbalance with the United States. In the past two years, we have taken effective measures to expand imports from the United States. We have shown our sincerity in improving the trade imbalance between China and the United States.

We hope the United States will response positively to our sincerity and abolish restrictions on exports to China, allowing more U.S. enterprises to have the opportunity to export to China. It will help reduce the unemployment rate in the United States, accelerate the U.S. economic recovery and balance the bilateral trade.

Premier Wen Jiabao has mentioned China will boost imports from least developed countries and countries running trade surpluses. China will realize zero-tariff treatment to 95 percent of products from least developed countries in three years.

Last year, we cut the tariffs on imports from least developed countries by 47 percent. In the next two years, the tariffs for 95 percent of the 7,000 categories imported from least developed countries will be cut to zero.