China Looking to Expand Imports, Lower Tariffs, Vice Premier Says

Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng said China is looking to expand imports, lower tariffs and “facilitate customs clearance to better share the opportunities” with the rest of the world, according to a March 24 report by Xinhua, a state-run news agency. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the China Development Forum in Beijing, Han also said China will strengthen intellectual property rights protections while also allowing “foreign companies to achieve better development in fair competition” in China, Xinhua’s report said. "We will continue to relax controls over foreign investment access, reduce the negative list for foreign investment, and allow wholly foreign-invested enterprises in more areas," Han said, according to the report. The report also said China will add a new section to the “Shanghai pilot free trade zone” and introduce policies to build a “Hainan free trade port.”