Nation aims to nurture trade, maintain supply
China DailyChina will do whatever is necessary to stabilize foreign trade and secure supply and industrial chains in the second half of this year amid a world business environment that remains complicated and challenging for companies, the country's top commerce official said. New foreign trade formats have emerged as growth points, and China will encourage companies to further expand cross-border e-commerce and facilitate trade based on market procurement, he said, adding that the country will be well prepared for the third China International Import Expo to be held in Shanghai later this year. Bigticket foreign investment projects have notably risen nationwide over the past few months, according to the ministry, especially in China's pilot free trade zones. Because the global economic downturn's effect on demand for goods and on supply and industrial chains has become clearer since June and will continue to do so up to December, it is practical for China to accelerate establishing a "dual-cycle" development pattern that takes the domestic market as the mainstay while domestic and foreign markets can boost each other, said Chen Bin, executive vice-president of Beijing-based China Machinery Industry Federation.