China's imports, exports expand steadily in H1

China's foreign trade, both import and export, maintained steady expansion in the first half of this year, contributing to economic growth, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Monday.

In the January-June period, export of automobiles, ships, and integrated circuits increased by 22.2 percent, 91.1 percent, and 25.6 percent year on year, respectively.

In addition, the import and export of private enterprises increased by 11.2 percent, accounting for 55 percent of the total value of import and export, data from the NBS showed.

During the same period, net export of goods and services contributed 13.9 percent to economic growth.

China is actively broadening its circle of friends in global economic and trade cooperation. In the January-June period, China's trade with Belt and Road partner countries increased by 7.2 percent year on year.

China-Europe freight train trips surpassed 10,000 this year, when a train bound for Duisburg in Germany departed from Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, on July 10. The mark was passed 19 days earlier than last year. The trains have transported more than 1.08 million twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers of goods this year, up 11 percent year on year, according to China State Railway Group Co., Ltd.

"The potential for opening up is being unleashed faster, and the vitality in this regard has continued to improve. In the first half of this year, China's total goods import and export value exceeded 21 trillion yuan (about 2.89 trillion U.S. dollars) for the first time, a record high compared with the same periods of previous years. Import and export growth has showed a gradually increasing trend. The structure of foreign trade has also continuously been optimized, demonstrating the resilience and vitality of the country's foreign trade," said Wang Liwei, associate researcher at the Institute of Economic Research, the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research, under the National Development and Reform Commission.

China's National Immigration Administration (NIA) said earlier this month that the country had recorded 14.64 million inbound trips made by foreigners in the first half of this year, up 152.7 percent year on year. Among them, 8.54 million entered China visa-free, accounting for 52 percent of the inbound trips and representing a year-on-year surge of 190.1 percent.

China's imports, exports expand steadily in H1

China's top political advisor Wang Huning on Friday urged political advisors to intensify research and consultation to offer valuable suggestions for advancing the cause of people with disabilities.

Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), made these remarks while presiding over a biweekly consultation session of the national committee.

Wang underlined that ensuring a happy and fulfilling life for people with disabilities is an essential requirement for promoting Chinese modernization.

He called upon political advisors to focus on the new situations and challenges in advancing the cause for such individuals while urging more targeted and practical proposals based on thorough investigations and research.

Democratic oversight should be strengthened to ensure the effective implementation of policies supporting those with disabilities, Wang noted.

Several national political advisors also made their remarks during the session. They called for efforts to create unobstructed career development pathways for people with disabilities, advance research and application of assistive technologies, and enhance the quality of public services to continuously improve their quality of life.

China's top political advisor stresses boosting services for people with disabilities