Photo:CCTV

China's General Administration of Customs (GAC) said on Sunday that it is accelerating the introduction of measures to promote steady growth in foreign trade, including efforts to help enterprises stabilize overseas orders.

A meeting of the GAC Committee of the Communist Party of China called for earnestly refining, breaking down and implementing tasks related to customs work outlined in the Government Work Report, according to a statement on the GAC's website.

Notably, the GAC meeting stated that efforts should be directed toward stabilizing foreign trade development by expediting the introduction of customs measures to ensure steady growth.

Specifically, a special initiative should be launched to facilitate cross-border trade, support the expansion of intermediate goods trade, promote innovative development in overseas warehouses and foreign economic and trade zones, and assist enterprises in stabilizing orders and expanding their markets, according to the meeting.

Other key areas discussed in the meeting included accelerating the implementation of core policies for the Hainan Free Trade Port, promoting the transformation and upgrading of comprehensive bonded zones, and actively contributing to the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative.

This year's Government Work Report also called for support for enterprises in securing orders, exploring new markets, and participating in and organizing exhibitions abroad. It also called for boosting development of overseas warehouses.  

The GAC meeting again reflected the determination of Chinese government departments to stabilize foreign trade this year, which includes efforts such as facilitating exports for domestic businesses and helping them explore overseas markets through supportive measures, Li Yong, a senior research fellow at the China Association of International Trade, told the Global Times on Sunday.  

Amid the growing complexity of the international trade landscape due to protectionist measures by certain countries, foreign trade is facing challenges. However, with continuous efforts and strong government support, the growth momentum is expected to be sustained, Li said.

China's foreign trade market has gotten off to a good start in 2025, with exports rising by 3.4 percent year-on-year to reach 3.88 trillion yuan ($535.25 billion) from January to February, marking a historical high for the period, according to data from the GAC. 

Global Times