Opinion | International community can expect China to introduce more high-level opening-up measures

Openness is a distinctive feature of China's modernization, and the country will continue to promote high-level openness and establish a new development pattern centred on domestic circulation, with domestic and foreign markets reinforcing each other. The international community can expect China to introduce more high-level opening-up measures and participate more actively in global economic governance. China will also implement the four major global initiatives and contribute Chinese solutions and wisdom to the reform and improvement of the global governance system, said Xu Xuemei, Assistant Research Fellow at Department for World Economy and Development, China Institute of International Studies, in a recent interview with China Youth Daily.

China's annual Central Economic Work Conference was recently held in Beijing, where Chinese leaders decided on the economic priorities for 2026, including making solid progress in developing the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP). On December 18, the Hainan FTP launched island-wide special customs operations, positioning Hainan as a key connector with the global market. The free trade port is envisioned as a primary gateway for global goods entering the Chinese market and is expected to boost regional economic and trade collaboration.

According to Xu, China remains committed to opening its vast market to the world and sharing development opportunities with all countries. It will continue to play a positive role as a staunch supporter and active contributor to multilateralism and economic globalization.

"Through a series of opening-up measures and signals, China has also clarified to the United States and other countries pursuing unilateralism and protectionism that dialogue and communication are the best ways to resolve trade disputes, and that all parties should strengthen policy communication and collaborate to tackle global challenges," Xu said.

Xu also highlighted that China hopes to leverage multilateral activities, such as the "1+10" Dialogue with heads of major international economic organizations, to encourage these organizations to play a role in global governance and policy coordination. They should also conduct objective research and collaborate with China and others to uphold the multilateral economic and trade system. This would entail opposing unilateral bullying and hegemonic practices, reforming and improving global economic governance to make it fairer, more just, more inclusive and more reasonable, and fully guaranteeing the participation, voice and decision-making rights of the vast majority of members of the Global South. (By Ma Ziqian/China Youth Daily)