1.China-Europe freight trains on tracks of win-win cooperation

 

China-Europe freight trains loaded with various kinds of commodities travel across Asia and Europe. A total of 17,000 freight trains between China and Europe were operated in 2023, transporting 1.9 million TEUs, with a year-on-year increase of 6 percent and 18 percent respectively. The number of freight trains and the volume of goods transported have maintained strong growth momentum, showing resilience and vitality of China's economy.

 

2.Work related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers stable with progress

 

In 2023, in the face of complex domestic and international economic conditions and natural disasters, the development of agriculture and rural areas maintained steady progress, and the foundation related to agriculture, rural areas and farmers was further solidified, providing strong support for economic recovery.

 

 

1.The All-China Federation of Trade Unions has recently issued a plan to cultivate about 200 national craftsmen each year in China. The plan also aims to guide local governments and industries to actively support the cultivation of about 1,000 craftsmen on provincial and ministerial levels and 5,000 craftsmen on municipal level each year.

 

2.The Ministry of Commerce recently released 47 institutional innovations related to pilot free trade zones, focusing on trade facilitation, government function transformation, foreign investment access and other areas. Up to now, 349 such institutional innovations have been released nationally, playing a demonstration role in promoting high-level opening up and high-quality development.

 

3.The general offices of the Central Committee of the CPC and the State Council recently unveiled an implementation plan for Pudong's pilot comprehensive reform between 2023 and 2027. All local regions and departments are required to implement it in light of the actual situation.

 

 

1. China exported a total of 4.91 million vehicles in 2023, expected to become the world's largest auto exporter, an official with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said on Jan. 19. China's auto exports grew by 57.9 percent year on year last year. The exports of automobiles have reached a new level.

 

2. China has remained the world's largest online retail market for 11 consecutive years, the Ministry of Commerce said on Jan.11. In 2023, China's online retail sales reached RMB 15.42 trillion, an increase of 11 percent year on year. 

 

3.China has 157 million fixed broadband users with speeds of 1000 Mbps and above, and has built the world's largest gigabit network, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

 

4. The gross domestic product (GDP) of Chongqing Municipality surpassed RMB 3 trillion (about 421.54 billion U.S. dollars) for the first time in 2023, making it the fourth city in the country to top this figure, according to the municipal government. The city saw its GDP grow 6.1 percent year on year to top RMB 3.01 trillion last year.

 

5. China's retail sales of consumer goods, a major indicator of the country's consumption strength, climbed 7.2 percent year on year in 2023, official data showed on Jan. 17. 

 

6.According to data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, in 2023, the added value of industrial small and medium-sized enterprises above designated size in China increased by 4.7 percent year-on-year, with a year-on-year increase of 7.7 percent in December. Enterprise production further rebounded and improved.

 

7. China provided increased market access for imports of agricultural and food products from over 51 countries and regions in 2023, China's customs authorities said on Jan. 23.

In a statement, the General Administration of Customs said that the approval of 146 shipments of various types of imported agricultural and food products helped meet the diversified needs of Chinese consumers, as well as their aspirations for better lives.

 

8. Official data shows that China's newly implemented tax refunds, as well as its new cuts and deferrals of taxes and fees, neared RMB 2.23 trillion in 2023. The manufacturing sector and related wholesale and retail industries enjoyed RMB 949.53 billion of support from the tax policies, according to the State Taxation Administration.

 

9. In 2023, gold consumption in China stood at 1,089.69 tonnes, up 8.78 percent year on year, according to data released by the China Gold Association. Specifically, consumption of gold jewelry in the Chinese market expanded 7.97 percent compared with the same period last year to 706.48 tonnes, while that of gold ingots and coins surged 15.7 percent from 2022 to 299.6 tonnes. Consumption of gold for industrial and other use fell 5.5 percent from the previous year to 83.61 tonnes.

 

10. According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, in 2023, the added value  of industrial enterprises above designated size increased by 4.6 percent year-on-year, an increase of 1 percentage point from 2022. The role of the top ten key industries and ten industrial provinces as growth stabilizers has been highlighted. The overall scale of the manufacturing sector has remained the world's largest for 14 consecutive years.

 

(Source: Economic Daily)