Top executives weigh in at CIIE (II)

Wu Dongming, CEO of DHL Express China

A1: DHL Express has participated in the CIIE twice. The CIIE is the world's largest import expo dedicated to promoting imports and serves as a significant platform to showcase China's resolve to actively open the Chinese market to the world and firmly support trade liberalization and economic globalization to achieve mutual benefits and win-win cooperation with all nations.

In this year's CIIE, DHL Express demonstrates the results we have achieved in promoting sustainable development and express the confidence and determination to further invest and develop in China.

A2: China has hosted the CIIE for four consecutive years, which sends a clear signal that China keeps widening its opening-up and continues seeking higher levels of openness to fulfill its responsibility as a major country to promote economic and trade recovery and development in the world.

The CIIE is one of the best ways to implement the dual-circulation strategy that domestic and overseas markets boost each other. DHL Express -- as a logistics company for the world -- will continue to play its role in promoting trade flows to and from China with the rest of the world.

A3: China remains one of the vital engines for global economic recovery, and continues to post a steady recovery and growth itself. In the first nine months, China has achieved double-digit growth in imports and exports, continuing significant contributions to the world.

According to the dual-circulation strategy, China's economy is transitioning to domestic demand. With domestic market as the mainstay, China continues to boost high-level opening-up and will step up imports of high quality foreign products and services. The trend is also reflected in our business as our import business volume has seen an increase year-on-year.

A4: DHL's parent company Deutsche Post DHL Group commits to zero emissions logistics by 2050, which is highly consistent with China's strategic goal of carbon emissions reduction. This year, the group further announced it will invest 7 billion euros ($8.09 billion) in the next 10 years to accelerate decarbonization.

Cross-border e-commerce plays a key role in economic revival in China. China is riding the surge and introduced a series of favorable policies to provide new impetus for imports and domestic consumption. DHL Express will continue to leverage its global logistics network to promote e-commerce trade flow between China and the world.

A5: Absolutely. We have witnessed and benefitted from the business environment improvement in China, Customs clearance efficiency in particular.

DHL Express is an international express logistics service provider. The efficiency of customs clearance is critically important for us. In recent years, China Customs introduced a series of measures to streamline clearance processes, significantly improving efficiency, which plays an essential role in ensuring that the logistics supply chain is up and running, especially during the pandemic.

A6: DHL Express is the first major international logistics business to enter the Chinese market. We have witnessed, participated in and benefitted from the course of opening-up and reform in China. Over the past 35 years, DHL has made investments of over 10 billion yuan ($1.56 billion) and built up a vast logistics network in China.

China is resolved to pursue a high-level opening-up to build a new development pattern. This further strengthens our confidence and determination for long-term development in China.

This year, DHL Express has invested nearly 200 million yuan to improve the infrastructure of ground networks and services in China.

A7: Digital economy has been evolving into a new driver to power economic growth in China. In recent years, China has been active in promoting digital industrialization and industrial digitalization, which will create many new forms of businesses and new economic growth points so as to further attract foreign investment as well as widen and deepen international cooperation across industries to realize high-quality and sustainable development.

A8: The CIIE is one way to demonstrate China's commitment to supporting and promoting global free trade. CIIE has been hosted for four years in a row with an increasing number of participation. This reflects the world's confidence and support in China's efforts to bolster multilateralism and free trade.

At DHL Express, we are guided by a simple yet powerful idea: global trade connects people and improves lives. As a logistics provider, building those ties is our business and our passion. Especially during the pandemic, multilateralism has become more important than ever.