China expands imports, shares growth globally

China's drive to expand imports is emerging as a crucial feature of its high-level opening-up strategy, underscoring Beijing's commitment to sharing the opportunities of its vast domestic market with the rest of the world and, at a time of heightened economic uncertainty, offering predictable demand and a stable source of growth, market analysts and foreign business leaders said.

The emphasis on import expansion is consistent with President Xi Jinping's statements that China will remain committed to opening-up, and its development is not pursued in isolation, but in a way that seeks shared growth with the world.

Xi has said on multiple occasions that China will strengthen the domestic market and import more high-quality products, emphasizing that opening-up is a long-term commitment rather than a short-term policy choice.

Delivering a written speech at the APEC CEO Summit in Gyeongju, Republic of Korea, last year, Xi said that China can provide more growth opportunities for the global business community. It is now the world's second-largest market of consumption and imports, and the only developing country that hosts a national-level international import expo and continually opens its market to the world.

"The China market is huge and promising. We are continually advancing high-standard opening-up, and strive to help all sides succeed through greater openness and connectivity," said Xi.

Foreign business leaders and market analysts said the policy direction shows that China views its mega-sized market not merely as a national advantage, but as a platform for mutually beneficial engagement. Rising imports of high-quality goods, advanced technologies and services are helping align domestic demand with global supply, while enabling a wider range of economies to participate in and benefit from China's long-term growth trajectory.

The comments came as Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said the government will organize more than 100 import promotion events this year to bring together global sellers and Chinese buyers, ensuring that quality products and services not only gain access to the Chinese market, but, more important, secure solid sales.

Wang said China remains dedicated to turning its vast market into one that benefits the whole world, expanding the pie of cooperation, jointly tackling development challenges, upholding the multilateral trading system and free trade, and injecting positive momentum into the global economy.

"China welcomes all countries to capitalize on the new opportunities presented by its promotional series, aimed at making the country a preferred export destination for more countries across the world," he said.

He Yadong, a spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce, said that beyond targeted policies to improve import facilitation, refine sourcing and link imports with investment and consumption, the government will promote the "Export to China" initiative and expand imports with solid measures in the next phase.

China's goods imports reached 18.5 trillion yuan ($2.67 trillion) in 2025, making it the world's second-largest import market for the 17th consecutive year, statistics showed.

Meanwhile, China's imports from more than 130 countries and regions recorded growth, while the nation has emerged as a major export destination for nearly 80 countries.

Market watchers said China's import expansion is increasingly focused on quality upgrading rather than volume growth alone. At its core, these measures encourage a leap from quantitative satisfaction to qualitative enrichment, using consumption upgrading to drive supply-side innovation and power high-quality economic growth, said Denis Depoux, global managing director of management consultancy Roland Berger.

Wang Wei, an expert at the Development Research Center of the State Council in Beijing, echoed that view. "Given that China's imports are still heavily skewed toward commodities, it is practical to bring in more high-quality consumer goods, advanced equipment and specialized services to better match domestic demand, enrich supply and raise overall consumption quality," he said.

Mei Xinyu, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation in Beijing, said, "If Western countries ease their restrictive high-tech export controls on China, Chinese demand for imported products would expand significantly, creating market access and balanced, mutually beneficial trade flows."

From the perspective of trading partners, China's push to boost consumption and expand high-quality imports is translating into tangible opportunities.

Peter Wilson, the United Kingdom's ambassador to China, said that as China looks to boost domestic consumption and expand high quality imports, British businesses are well positioned to meet the needs of Chinese consumers. The UK will work actively alongside its Chinese partners to advance two-way trade, promote practical collaboration and support business growth, Wilson said, adding that this would deliver more concrete benefits for people in both countries.

European business representatives said the shift is also reshaping how foreign companies engage with the Chinese market.

Oliver Oehms, chief representative of the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce Beijing, said it is no longer just about German companies exporting more to China.

Now, it is about being here, competing in the Chinese market and matching the best international rivals, he said, adding that for German companies, China as a crucial destination for production and investment is a known fact.

Wang Yu contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at zhongnan@chinadaily.com.cn