China will strive to reduce its " excessively large" trade surplus to ensure
the sustained development of both domestic economy and foreign trade, said
Premier Wen Jiabao Monday in a report to the National People's Congress.
China recorded a sizzling economic growth of 10.7 percent in 2006, largely
powered by strong exports, which rose 33 percent to 86.62 billion U.S. dollars.
Despite a slight 1.2 percentage points down in export growth and 2.4
percentage points up in import growth, China's trade surplus last year expanded
to a record 177.5 billion dollars, up 74 percent from the previous record of
101.9 billion dollars set in 2005.
The surplus kept surging 67.3 percent in January from a year ago to 15.88
billion U.S. dollars, a dangerous level to ignite inflation and aggravating
already tense trading relations between the world's fourth largest economy and
its major trade partners, which press China for further currency
appreciation.
To reduce the hefty trade imbalance, the premier said the government will
support export of high value-added products and products with Chinese
trademarks, promote the upgrading of the processing trade and expand the export
of service and agricultural products, while limiting exports of products whose
manufacture is highly energy consuming or highly polluting.
For the part of imports, Wen stressed that imports of energy, raw materials,
advanced technologies and equipment, and key spare parts and accessories will be
bolstered.
The premier promised China will keep improving the mechanism for setting the
Yuan exchange rate, easing the imbalance in international payment and optimizing
foreign investment environment.
