With all eyes on China's 20th Party Congress last week, the future of its policy on trade, investment and the economy has been closely watched and analyzed. Here is a summary of a range of statements from former government officials and experts.

Chinese President Xi's keynote address at the opening of the 20th Communist Party Congress touched on trade-related issues such as development, technology, supply chains, and the Belt and Road Initiative. While he mentioned "expanding institutional opening up," he also emphasized "self-reliance in high-level technology."

A Chinese commerce official recently said that China's trade is facing growing uncertainties. In response, the Chinese government announced several measures to boost trade, including some to facilitate cross-border e-commerce.

A Chinese Vice Minister recently said that there is huge potential for trade between BRICS countries, and one important tool is to negotiate free trade agreements.

China's Commerce officials recently touted China's development in trade and foreign investment in the first four months of 2022, including that private companies' share in international trade increased to 58.5%, and there was a 26% rise of foreign investment, despite the economic slowdown caused

During a nation-wide teleconference designed to stabilize the economy, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang emphasized the importance of supporting and enhancing foreign trade and investment. His statements came alongside some new government measures that aim to stabilize and boost foreign trade.

At the Conference of the 70th Anniversary of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT, an agency to promote foreign trade and investment) and the Global Trade and Investment Promotion Summit on May 18, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for "dialogue over confrontation, tear[ing] down walls