China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) on Wednesday announced a set of initiatives to stabilize foreign trade in 2025, focusing on digitalization, green trade, and expansion of global business platforms amid growing external risks and challenges.
At a press briefing in Beijing, MOFCOM officials outlined plans to accelerate the development of new foreign trade drivers by embracing digitalization. This includes expanding the use of electronic trade documents and encouraging digitalization of the entire trade chain, aiming to streamline processes and improve efficiency.
Green trade will also be a priority, with efforts to help foreign trade enterprises adopt sustainable, low-carbon practices. Steps will be taken to promote the construction of smart logistics platforms overseas, as well as support cross-border e-commerce trade fairs and matchmaking events in regions with suitable infrastructure, thereby creating more opportunities for businesses to showcase products and for matchmaking between supply and demand, according to the officials.
"We will continue to compile and publish the 'Country Trade Guide' and other foreign trade promotion documentations, strengthening information exchange between Chinese and international businesses. We will actively expand the global network of high-standard free trade zones, establish new trade facilitation working groups on the basis of consultation, and pragmatically address the bottlenecks and challenges in bilateral trade to create more business opportunities," said Meng Yue, director of the Foreign Trade Department at the Ministry of Commerce, at the press briefing.
In addition, China will leverage major trade platforms such as the China International Import Expo and the Canton Fair to further market opening, boost imports, and foster innovation in international trade. These efforts are designed to transform China's vast market into a big opportunity for the world, according to the officials.
China's Commerce Ministry announces initiatives to stabilize foreign trade in 2025
China's Commerce Ministry announces initiatives to stabilize foreign trade in 2025
Marking China's 11th Space Day, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) introduced major space projects in the 15th Five-Year Plan period on Friday in Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan in the southwest, the main venue of a series of events marking this day.
Jointly sponsored by the CNSA and the provincial government, the event revealed major sci-tech achievements and space industry updates, with Shan Zhongde, head of the CNSA, introducing China's major space projects to be implemented in the next five years.
"In the areas of entering space, utilizing space, exploring space, and governing space, we will intensify the efforts to carry out key projects including manned spaceflight, lunar probe, planetary probe, and the national satellite internet. We will pace up the demonstration and launch of a new generation of space-power initiatives such as heavy-lift rockets, reusable launch vehicles, and next-generation national space infrastructure. In the fields of lunar and planetary probe, asteroid defense, on-orbit service, and space debris mitigation, we will deepen international collaboration, build the International Lunar Research Station, have in-depth engagement in global space governance, and create an open and cooperative landscape for China's space industry to build a community with a shared future for mankind," Shan said.
The CNSA also released a series of updates marking the Space Day, including the latest lunar discoveries from the Chang'e-5 mission, two new minerals named magnesiochangesite-(Y) and changesite-(Ce), selected international partners for the Tianwen-3 Mars mission, announcement of international cooperation opportunities for the Xihe-2 mission, and the Version 1.0 of the Commercial Space Standards System.
On the same occasion, Xie Jun, deputy chief designer of the BeiDou system, Zhang Bing, member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and veteran astronaut Ye Guangfu, were appointed as the 2026 China Space Public Welfare Ambassadors.
More than 30 side events will take place across Chengdu during the Space Day period. Highlights include a space science exhibition at the Chengdu New International Convention and Exhibition Center, a VR sci-fi drama aimed at extending space knowledge, and the Space Wish Initiative launched by the China Media Group (CMG), inviting the public to share their stories related to space.
"We plan to put up over 30 activities in various forms with rich content for the Space Day to give people a feeling for the evolution and dynamism of China's space program. Aside from offering academic exchange platforms for professionals, we place more emphasis on engaging the public, particularly young people, in carrying forward the spirit and culture of space exploration," said Wang Cheng, secretary-general of the China Space Foundation.
Officials introduces space projects in 15th 5-Year Plan period
