Trade, opening-up surging over years(4)

China's imports will continue to expand, driven by the country's ongoing economic transformation, urbanization and the rising purchasing power of its massive consumer base. This trajectory is expected to contribute significantly to the recovery and growth of the global economy in the coming years, Liang added.

However, businesses in the foreign trade sector face a complex and challenging external environment marked by escalating geopolitical tensions and increasing trade restrictions, experts said, calling for stronger policy support and the cultivation of new growth drivers to counterbalance the negative impacts.

China should leverage the Belt and Road Initiative, the RCEP and others to diversify its trade partnerships and explore new markets, said Xu Hongcai, deputy director of the China Association of Policy Science's Economic Policy Committee.

Moreover, China should continue to advance its accession into the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement, to align with high-standard international economic and trade rules, and expand high-level opening-up, Xu said.