Cabinet calls for steps to stabilize foreign trade

Governments of all provincial-level regions and State Council departments should take steps to stabilize foreign trade and foreign investment, the General Office of the State Council said.

In a guideline released on Aug 12, the office said the authorities should enhance the role of export credit insurance. It also encouraged regions with the right conditions to support their governments' financial guarantee companies in sharing the risks of export businesses.

The office said the authorities should take measures to enhance credit for foreign trade companies and guide financial institutions of all kinds to strengthen financial support for small and micro-sized foreign trade companies.

It also called for more credit to be extended to small, medium-and micro-sized companies and for more pilot markets to offer "market procurement trade" to boost exports by such companies.

Under the "market procurement trade" mode, companies can purchase a relatively small amount of goods for export in pilot markets and go through customs clearance procedures there.

The authorities should also promote other kinds of emerging business, such as overseas warehouses, and encourage regions in Central, West and Northeast China to take up labor-intensive industries to make goods for export, the office said.

They should lend more support to companies in labor-intensive industries, further support exporters of textiles, clothes, furniture, shoes, plastic ware, bags and other products, and help major foreign trade companies overcome difficulties, it said.

The authorities also need to further facilitate customs clearance, keep improving the business climate at ports and shorten the time needed for clearance of goods.

They should also make it easier for foreign business personnel to come to China, and continue to discuss building "fast lanes" with other countries while implementing strict disease-prevention measures, the office said.

COVID-19 body releases guidelines for markets

The State Council's joint prevention and control mechanism to tackle COVID-19 has set out specific technical guidelines for agricultural produce markets to prevent the spread of the disease.

Joint prevention and control mechanisms of all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps should focus on disease prevention and improve everyday health management in the markets, as well as their hygiene, the mechanism said in a statement released on Aug 12.

They should improve sanitary facilities such as restrooms and garbage collection, step up sterilization of elevators, escalators and door handles, and urge business operators in the markets to do everyday cleaning, the statement said.

The authorities should also strengthen public health education and promote preventive measures in the markets, including wearing face masks and gloves, keeping hands clean and maintaining social distance, it said.

They should enhance inspection of markets to detect risks, and pay special attention to large ones and wholesale operations, including seafood markets.

The mechanism said the authorities should regularly inspect the environment of markets, their storage of frozen meat and other food and the management of freezers, and respond in a timely manner to any weaknesses detected.