2011' International Investment Forum was held in Xiamen International Conference & Exhibition Center during the 15th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT), on August 8. The topic of this Forum is: The Tenth Anniversary of China’s Accession to the WTO – Openness, Cooperation & Win-Win. Minister of Commerce Chen Deming said in his keynote speech at the Forum that, China will earnestly summarize the experience over the last ten years since accession to WTO, follow proactive opening up strategy, and vigorously promote global investment and trade liberalization, so as to make due contribution to the recovery and stability of world economy.

D. M. Jayaratne, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Fonotoe Nuafesili, Deputy Prime Minister of Samoa, Kandeh K. Yumkella, the Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, James Mirrlees, winner of the 1996 Nobel Prize in Economics, and Edmund S. Phelps, winner of the 2006 Nobel Prize in Economics all gave speeches at the Forum. Vice Minister of Commerce Jiang Yaoping chaired the Forum. Nearly 1000 people from domestic and foreign political community, business community, and relevant international organizations and institutions attended the Forum.

Mr. Chen said in his speech that, this year is the tenth anniversary of China’s accession to the WTO. Over these ten years, China has been unswervingly promoting opening up, and has achieved win-win development with other member states. Attracting foreign investment and investing overseas is the important part of China’s mutual beneficial and win-win opening up strategy. The rapid development of investment cooperation has brought huge benefits to both China and foreign countries. By the end of 2010, China has set up enterprises in 178 countries and regions, where tax paid by Chinese invested enterprises totaled US$11.7 billion, and jobs created were 780 thousand.

Mr. Chen expressed, just as China’s market, China’s investment also provided historical opportunity for countries all over the world to strengthen communication and cooperation with China. In the foreseeable future, China’s investment environment will continue to maintain obvious competitive advantage. China is actively implementing strategy of expanding domestic demand, which has brought precious opportunity for investors; the opening up of China’s Mainland has provided new stage for investors; and China’s all-inclusive industries, sound infrastructure, sufficient human resource and close connection with the world have provided favorable guarantee for domestic and foreign investors.

Mr. Chen stressed that, China will earnestly summarize the experience over the last ten years since accession to WTO, implement proactive opening up strategy, make both “introducing in” and “going global” a priority for greater development in China, and make due contribution to the recovery and stability of world economy. For this purpose, we will work hard in the following aspects. First, perfect further investment environment, continue to optimize administration and service, perfect market system, and treat all foreign-invested enterprises equally and fairly. Second, actively innovate mode of attracting investment, further improve policies on merger and acquisition by foreign capital, encourage foreign businessmen to take part in the restructuring and reform of state-owned enterprises through merger and acquisition, and guide foreign-invested enterprises meeting certain standard to get listed on Mainland China. Third, expand new fields to absorb foreign investment, encourage foreign capital to invest in such fields as high-level manufacturing, modern service sector, new energy and environment protection, and encourage foreign enterprises to set up regional headquarters and research centers in China. Fourth, provide forceful support for Chinese enterprises to invest overseas, do well in policy support and service guarantee, perfect mechanism of investment promotion and protection, and strengthen guidance and service for private enterprises and SMEs to invest overseas.

Mr. Chen pointed out that, in the process of Chinese enterprises “going global”, they have won the support of most countries. However, there are still some conservative countries, even some big ones, which shut out Chinese investment in the excuse of national security. These conducts are not favorable for coping with the financial crisis together, or the recovery of world economy. Therefore, China will actively promote global investment and trade liberalization: urge relevant countries to decontrol access for industries in a reciprocal manner, expand market and technology openness, increase transparency of examination and approval on foreign investment and treat Chinese investment in a more positive attitude.