第十三届全国人民代表大会第三次会议在人民大会堂举行第二次全体会议。会议结束后举行第二场“部长通道”采访活动，商务部部长钟山通过网络视频方式接受采访。
以下为中英文实录
疫情发生后，全球经济受到严重冲击，我国外贸外资形势严峻，在这个背景下，中央强调要稳住外贸外资基本盘，请问钟部长，您是怎么看这个基本盘的？商务部有何考虑？谢谢。
钟山：
谢谢你的提问。稳住外贸外资基本盘，是党中央、国务院作出的决策部署，我们要坚决贯彻落实。我想从三个方面回答你的问题。
第一，稳住外贸外资基本盘事关重大。外贸外资是改革开放的重要内容，也是改革开放的重大成果。40多年来，我国的外贸外资快速发展，为我国经济社会的发展作出了重要贡献。贡献主要体现在以下几方面：一是对经济增长的贡献。外贸外资成为我国经济增长的重要拉动力。二是对财政税收的贡献。外贸外资对我国税收的贡献超过25%。三是对我国就业的贡献。外贸外资直接间接就业超过2亿人，其中8000多万为农民工。四是为我国开放型经济发展作出了重要贡献。外贸外资为我国融入全球化作出了重要贡献。所以说，稳住外贸外资基本盘，事关我国改革开放，事关我国经济社会发展大局。
第二，稳住外贸外资基本盘的主要工作。从外贸看，最主要是要稳住外贸主体。现在我国各类外贸主体超过30万家，包括民营企业、国有企业和外资企业。面对疫情的冲击，这些企业遇到了前所未有的困难。这些困难，有一些企业通过自己的努力可以解决，有一些需要政府的帮助。党中央、国务院高度重视，从财政税收、金融保险、产业链供应链等方面，在政策上予以帮助、支持，降低了企业的压力，也激发了企业的活力。我们认为，只要外贸主体能够稳住，我国的外贸就一定能够稳住，能够发展。
从外资看，主要是做好两件事，一是要扩大外资增量。这就需要我们进一步扩大对外开放，放宽市场准入，缩减负面清单，还需要我们搭建更高水平的对外开放平台，特别是要建设好自由贸易试验区，加快自由贸易港建设，让外国投资者愿意来中国投资。二是稳住外资存量。主要是贯彻落实好《外商投资法》，营造公平、公正、透明的营商环境，保护外商合法权益，保护知识产权，让外商放心、安心，愿意在中国投资，在中国发展。随着我国营商环境的改善，经济的发展，市场的扩大，我们相信，聪明的外商一定不会放弃中国庞大的市场。
第三，稳住外贸外资基本盘的主要任务。一是要稳住我国外贸外资在全球的大国地位。二是要稳住外贸外资对经济社会发展的贡献。我们坚信，在以习近平同志为核心的党中央坚强领导下，全国上下共同努力，外贸外资这个基本盘就一定能够稳住。谢谢大家。
中央广播电视总台中国国际电视台记者：
我们知道，5月18日中国商务部发布终裁公告，开始征收澳大利亚的大麦相关反倾销税和反补贴税。外界认为，这与当前中澳双边关系的恶化有关，是中方采取的反制手段，请问您对此有何评论？谢谢。
钟山：
谢谢你的提问。中国对澳大利亚的大麦反倾销、反补贴案件确实近期成为了热点。今天，我想对这个问题给大家作个介绍。
首先，中国对自澳大利亚进口大麦启动反倾销、反补贴调查，是依据中国法律和世贸组织规则。这个案件是2018年底立案的，今年5月18日作出裁决。在这个过程中，我们保障了中澳各方的权利，听取了利益相关方的意见。
第二，中国调查机关对这个案子进行了为期一年半的调查，确定澳大利亚大麦存在倾销、存在补贴，而且对我国的产业造成了实质性损害。
第三，中国对于采取贸易救济措施是慎重的、克制的。中国与澳大利亚建交以来，中国对澳大利亚发起的贸易救济调查只有这一起，就是刚才你说的澳大利亚大麦反倾销反补贴案。同期，澳大利亚对中国发起的贸易救济调查有100起。其中，今年以来，澳大利亚对华就发起了3起。而中国今年以来没有对任何一个国家发起贸易救济调查。所以，在当前全球疫情蔓延的背景下，我呼吁世界贸易组织成员，要团结抗疫，慎用贸易救济措施。谢谢。
新华社记者：
在此次全球抗击疫情中，中国做了很大贡献，向世界提供了大量的防疫物资。但国际上也有不同的声音，有的说中国政府在限制出口，也有的说中国出口的防疫物资质量有问题。请问钟部长，对此您怎么看？能否介绍一下中国在这方面的相关工作。谢谢。
钟山：
谢谢你的提问。首先我要说的是，中国没有对防疫物资出口进行限制，我们是开放的。全球疫情暴发以来，中国已经向199个国家和地区出口了大量的防疫物资，为全球应对疫情作出了重要贡献，体现了中国的大国担当，体现了人类命运共同体理念。中国行动，得到了许多国家的赞赏和肯定。
刚才你讲到的第二个问题是，有些国家质疑中国出口防疫物资的质量。我想讲的是，中国政府高度重视出口防疫物资的质量。我们已经建立了从商品生产，到标准认证，再到口岸监管 “三位一体”的防疫物资监管体系。总的来说，中国出口的防疫物资质量是好的。
中国防疫物资的出口大致可以分三类：第一类是中国提供的无偿援助，已经向超过150个国家和国际组织提供了援助。第二类是外国政府请中国政府帮助他们采购的。第三类是外国企业向中国企业的直接商业采购。这三种类型，前面两种防疫物资质量是有保障的，目前没有出现问题。对第三种外国企业到中国的采购，出现一些问题。这个问题来自于两个方面，一方面是中国的企业在标准认证、质量上存在问题。中国政府已经采取了措施，严肃查处，停止他们的防疫物资出口。还有一方面是来自于外国企业的问题，这些外国企业把非医疗用品、非医用物资用于医疗，比如口罩，我们国家出口的口罩分医用的和非医用的，这些国家的企业把这些非医用口罩送进了医院，甚至用到临床上去了，这是非常危险的。我们也知道，一些国家发现问题后，对这类企业也进行了查处。这个责任是进口方的。下一步，只要相关国家需要防疫物资，中国还会一如既往地提供支持，共同抗击疫情。谢谢。
Minister of Commerce Zhong Shan Meets the Press at the “Ministers’ Corridor” during the 2020 NPC, CPPCC Annual Sessions
National Business Daily：
COVID-19 has dealt a heavy blow to the global economy and China is now faced with a challenging foreign trade and investment environment. Against this backdrop, the CPC Central Committee underlines that the fundamentals of foreign trade and investment should be stabilized. Minister Zhong, what’s your take on the fundamentals? What are MOFCOM’s considerations? Thank you.
Zhong Shan：
Thank you for your question. We will resolutely implement the decision and plan of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council to stabilize the fundamentals of foreign trade and investment. I would like to answer your question from three perspectives.
First, it is of great significance to stabilize the fundamentals of foreign trade and investment. Foreign trade and investment are important in reform and opening-up and have yielded major outcomes. Over the past four decades, China’s foreign trade and investment have been growing rapidly, making significant contribution to our economic and social development, especially to the following areas. First, their contribution to economic growth. Foreign trade and investment have become important driving forces for China’s economic growth. Second, their contribution to fiscal and tax revenues. Foreign trade and investment contribute to over 25% of China’s tax revenues. Third, their contribution to employment. They provide jobs directly or indirectly for over 200 million people, 80 million of whom are migrant workers from rural areas. Fourth, their contribution to the development of an open economy in China. The efforts to help China’s trade and investment “go global” and to expand import and attract foreign investment have greatly facilitated China’s engagement in globalization. Hence it is fair to say that stabilizing the fundamentals of foreign trade and investment is of great significance to China’s reform and opening-up, as well as its overall economic and social development.
Next, I would like to talk about the main tasks. In terms of foreign trade, the priority is to stabilize foreign trade entities. China is home to over 300,000 foreign trade entities, including private businesses, state-owned enterprises and foreign-invested companies, which, impacted by the pandemic, have faced unprecedented difficulties. Some of the problems can be overcome by the entities themselves, but others require government support to tackle. The CPC Central Committee and the State Council attach great attention to this respect and have been providing support and assistance policy-wise in taxation, financing, insurance and industrial and supply chains to ease the pressure on foreign trade companies and reinvigorate them. We believe that as long as the foreign trade entities are stable, there will be stable development in China’s foreign trade.
In terms of foreign investment, we have two missions to accomplish. The first is to expand FDI inflows. This requires opening-up on a larger scale, extended market access, a shortened negative list and opening-up platforms of higher quality. In particular, we need to develop pilot free trade zones and the free trade port to attract foreign investors. The second is to the stock of foreign investment stable. To this end, we should implement the Foreign Investment Law, foster a business environment featuring fairness, equity and transparency, safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of foreign investors and protect intellectual property rights, so that foreign investors are confident, comfortable and enthusiastic about their investment and development in China. We are confident that with an improving business environment, growing economy and expanding market access, China will remain an ideal destination that smart foreign investors would not give up.
Furthermore, we should maintain China’s position as a major trader and investment destination, and make sure that foreign trade and investment continue to contribute to China’s social and economic progress. We believe that under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, and through the effort of the entire nation, we will successfully stabilize the fundamentals of foreign trade and investment. Thank you.
CGTN：
As we know, MOFCOM issued the final decision to impose anti-dumping and countervailing duties on Australian barley. Some argue that it is a countermeasure by China that has something to do with the deteriorating China-Australia relationship. What’s your comment? Thank you.
Zhong Shan：
Thanks for your question. Indeed, the barley case has been a much-discussed topic recently. Today, I want to give a brief overview about this issue.
First, China initiated an anti-dumping and countervailing probe into imports of barley from Australia in line with Chinese laws and WTO rules. The investigation was launched at the end of 2018 and we made the final determination on May 18 this year. Throughout the process, we have protected the rights of all parties concerned in China and Australia and heard opinions of stakeholders.
Second, after a one-and-a-half year investigation into the case, the Chinese investigators determined that the Australian barley has been dumped and subsidized, which caused substantial injury to China’s industries.
Third, China has exercised caution and restraint in taking trade remedy measures. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Australia, this case on Australian barley is the only trade remedy investigation launched by China against Australia. In the same period, Australia has launched 100 trade remedy investigations on China, including three cases against China in this year. Meanwhile, China has not launched trade remedy investigations on any country this year before this case. Therefore, amid the spreading global pandemic, I call on the WTO members to unite against the virus and take trade remedy measures with caution. Thank you.
Xinhua News Agency：
China has made great contribution to the global COVID-19 response by providing large quantities of anti-epidemic supplies to the rest of the world. But there are also claims that such exports are restricted by the Chinese government or of poor quality. Minister Zhong, what’s your view on that? Could you share with us what China has done in this regard? Thank you.
Zhong Shan：
Thank you for the questions. First of all, I want to point out that China did not restrict the export of anti-epidemic supplies and remains open. Since the pandemic broke out, China has exported huge quantities of anti-epidemic supplies to 199 countries and regions, making important contribution to the global epidemic response. We have acted as a responsible major country with the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind. China’s actions have received appreciation and recognition from many countries.
Regarding the second question about the quality of exported supplies from China being questioned by some countries, I wish to say that the Chinese government attaches great importance to the quality of anti-epidemic supplies we export. We have established a triple monitoring system that covers the production, standards certification, and port regulation of anti-epidemic supplies. Supplies exported by China are by and large of sound quality.
Our exports of anti-epidemic supplies can be generally divided into three types: gratuitous aid that China has provided to over 150 countries and international organizations, goods that foreign governments asked the Chinese government to help procure, and direct purchases by foreign companies from Chinese companies via commercial channels. So far, no quality problem has been found with the first two types of products. With respect to the third type, issues have emerged in two aspects. First, there have been problems related to standards certification and quality of products exported by Chinese companies. The Chinese government has taken serious measures to punish the companies concerned and suspended their export of anti-epidemic supplies. Second, some foreign companies used non-medical supplies for medical purposes. Take face masks as an example. China exports both medical and non-medical face masks. Some foreign companies sent non-medical masks to hospitals and some of these masks were even used for clinical purposes, which could be rather dangerous. To our knowledge, these companies have already been punished by relevant authorities of their own countries. The responsibility lies with the importing party. Moving forward, China will, as always, continue to provide support to countries in need of anti-epidemic supplies to jointly battle COVID-19. Thank you.
