"Invest in China" special event presenting pilot FTZ highlights new opportunities in China’s western, border regions

The “Invest in China” Special Event Presenting Pilot Free Trade Zones was held on Nov. 6, 2025 during the 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in east China’s Shanghai, highlighting China’s commitment to high-level opening-up and institutional innovation.

Sheng Qiuping, Vice Minister of Commerce of China, noted via video that since the establishment of China’s first pilot free trade zone (FTZ) in Shanghai in 2013, the number has expanded to 22, covering both coastal and inland regions. He emphasized that the western and border FTZs, including Chongqing, Sichuan, Shaanxi, Guangxi, Yunnan, Heilongjiang, and Xinjiang, are playing a key role in advancing reform and regional development.

Dr. Anastasia Nesvetaïlova, the Director of the Macroeconomic and Development Policies Branch of UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), said China’s FTZ model demonstrates strong adaptability and innovation, offering useful experience for developing countries in pursuing resilient growth. Shenhong Yao, Director of the Division of Strategic Planning and South-South Cooperation of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), highlighted that FTZs now contribute about 12 percent of China’s GDP and 20 percent of its trade volume, serving as a “powerful engine for high-quality development.”

Representatives from seven pilot free trade zones—Chongqing, Sichuan, Shanxi, Yunnan, Heilongjiang, Xinjiang, and Hainan—shared their experiences at the forum. They highlighted achievements in institutional innovation, such as optimizing customs clearance and business registration processes, and in high-standard opening-up, including attracting foreign investment, creating a more efficient, internationalized business environment, and promoting cross-border trade.

Participants agreed that China’s FTZs, through continuous policy innovation and regional cooperation, are creating new opportunities for global investors and contributing to an open, resilient, and sustainable global economy.

Photo taken on Nov. 6, 2025 shows the “Invest in China” Special Event Presenting Pilot Free Trade Zones held during the 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in east China’s Shanghai. (Photo provided to Guangming Online)

Photo taken on Nov. 6, 2025 shows the “Invest in China” Special Event Presenting Pilot Free Trade Zones held during the 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in east China’s Shanghai. (Photo provided to Guangming Online)