Premier Li Keqiang pressed for further expansion of imports while presiding over an executive meeting on June 13, eyeing improvements in consumer demand and industrial upgrading.

The Premier said that a wider range of consumer goods should be made available, highlighting drugs, daily essentials and services that people crave.

Over the past two months, a slew of decisions were made with the previous executive meetings taking place, including tariff-free anti-cancer drugs, tariff cuts on clothing, household electric appliances and other daily necessities.

Related measures to step up imports came out accordingly on June 13, covering four major categories: consumer goods, emerging service trades, duty-free commodities and technical equipment conducive to industrial upgrading.

Against the backdrop of complicated international situations with rising trade protectionism, Premier Li noted that China will further boost imports, demonstrating China’s unswerving stance of advancing reciprocal opening-up and free trade.

The concerned departments and enterprises, the Premier added, should further implement measures of tariff cuts on certain goods, streamlining the overall procedures and wiping off unreasonable price markups, in a bid to benefit consumers.

In response, a requirement came up at the meeting that customs clearance procedures should be further optimized, introducing international mutual recognition of the License of Authorized Economic Operator.

Any gratuitous administrative methods and tolls generated by customs clearance will be rendered obsolete, and innovative importation modes like cross-border e-commerce will be encouraged.

Additionally, China will step up the construction of the foreign trade credit system and intellectual property rights protection, and promote communication and interaction in foreign trade and investments.