BEIJING, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Title: Promoting Trade Optimization and Upgrading to Support the Achievement of "Double Carbon" Goals -- Multi-departmental Detailed Explanation of the Implementing Opinions on Expanding Green Trade

Xinhua reporter Xie Yiyao

Recently, with the consent of the State Council, the Ministry of Commerce issued the Implementing Opinions on Expanding Green Trade. At the routine policy press conference of the State Council held on October 31, relevant responsible persons from the Ministry of Commerce and other departments introduced the relevant situation of the implementing opinions.

Against the backdrop of the global response to climate change and the promotion of green and low-carbon transformation, we actively expand green trade, aiming to promote the optimization and upgrading of trade, help achieve the "double carbon" goals, and better serve global climate governance," said Li Chenggang, representative of the Ministry of Commerce in charge of international trade negotiations and deputy minister.

Green and low-carbon products have become a new driving force for foreign trade development. International institutions predict that by 2030, the global market size of products and technologies such as electric vehicles, solar energy, and wind energy will reach $2.1 trillion, which is five times the current scale, and the market prospects are broad.

Li Chenggang introduced that the implementation plan, as the first special policy document in the field of green trade, fully embodies the distinct characteristics of innovation leadership. At the same time, it insists on problem-oriented, precisely focusing on the weak links in the development of China's green trade, such as the lack of green and low-carbon development capabilities of enterprises, the potential of carbon reduction in logistics links needs to be tapped, and the supporting guarantee system is not perfect. It has formulated targeted measures.

The implementation opinions focus on “creating a good international environment for the development of green trade”, and propose “strengthening international exchanges and cooperation” and “promoting the formulation of relevant standards and international coordination and mutual recognition”.

Li said China's proposal for an international economic and trade cooperation framework for digital economy and green development has received positive responses from more than 50 economies. In the free trade agreements signed so far, China has promoted the inclusion of trade and environment related content. For example, the recent upgrade agreement of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 version has set up a special chapter on green economy and green trade has been listed as a priority area for cooperation.

"We will continue to push forward the FTA negotiations, strive to promote two-way market opening, reduce non-tariff barriers, improve the level of rules commitment, promote standard and conformity assessment cooperation, and create a fair, transparent and predictable market environment for enterprises," said Li Chenggang.

He mentioned that the Ministry of Commerce is working with relevant departments to promote the improvement of the standard, certification, and identification system for green products, and to accelerate the realization of standard mutual recognition with major trading partners. It is also promoting the better integration of China's green products, technologies, and services into the global market.

Guo Huanxin, director of the Department of Measurement under the State Administration for Market Regulation, said that next, the focus will be on the needs of green development in various industries, selecting priority areas and key regions, expanding the scope of certification in an orderly manner, and promoting the expansion of certification from products to industrial chains and supply chains; jointly with relevant departments, the Measures for the Administration of Green Product Certification and Identification will be revised and issued, and a strict and transparent regulatory mechanism and regulatory measures will be established; adhere to the benchmarking of international advanced levels, follow international rules, and actively promote the international mutual recognition of green product certification.

The foundation of green trade is green products and industries. The implementation opinions propose to promote foreign trade enterprises to carry out green design and production.

Wang Peng, director of the Department of Energy Saving and Comprehensive Utilization of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said that the next step is to further promote green design and manufacturing, and to accelerate the green transformation and upgrading of the whole chain of product design, manufacturing, use, recycling and circular utilization.

Promoting green design at the source. Apply the concept of green design which is light weight, harmless, long life, and easy to recycle, focusing on the development and promotion of green household appliances, green building materials, green equipment, etc., in some industries such as electronics and automobiles, and vigorously develop green industries such as new energy vehicles and energy-saving and environmental protection equipment.

Building green factories on the "dot". It is planned to increase the proportion of the output value of green factories at all levels to 40% by 2030, guide green factories to deeply tap the potential for energy conservation and carbon reduction, and cultivate a number of zero-carbon factories.

Cultivating green supply chains "online". Carry out actions to improve green supply chains, promote large enterprises to play a leading role, and through green procurement and other preferential policies, support the improvement of the proportion of green factory enterprises among suppliers.

Develop green industrial parks "on the surface". Implement the plan to upgrade green industrial parks, promote the green transformation of high-tech zones and industrial parks, and at the same time actively cultivate and build a number of zero-carbon parks.

Regarding financial support for the development of green service trade, Wang Xin, Director of the Research Bureau of the People's Bank of China, said that it will promote the application of green finance and transition finance standards, support innovative financing methods such as credit, bonds, and equity; encourage financial institutions to increase financing support around research and development design, logistics operation and maintenance, carbon emission certification and evaluation, and waste resource recycling, and reduce financing thresholds and costs for light asset and green service trade enterprises; support the issuance of green financial products in global financial markets, and provide more Chinese green assets for global investors.

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