Recently, the Ministry of Commerce held a symposium with 18 industry associations, heard suggestions of them on commercial work. Minister Bo Xilai, Vice Minister Yu Guangzhou and Gao Hucheng, and principals from China Federation Of Industrial Economics, China Machinery Industry Federation, China Federation of Light Industry Association, China National Textile Industry Council, China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Association, China Non-Ferrous Metals Industry Association and China General Chamber of Commerce took part in the Symposium. Besides, persons in charge from China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textiles, China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Light Industrial Products and Arts-Crafts, China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Foodstuffs and China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products participated the Symposium.

The representatives said at the Symposium that the Ministry of Commerce contacted closely and communicated extensively with industry associations, especially heard suggestions of the associations in the process of applying trade remedy measures, maintaining security of domestic industries, responding to trade frictions and launching multi-lateral negotiations so as to better defend interests of domestic industries and enterprises.

Chen Shineng, Director of China Federation of Light Industry Association, said that in recent years, a linkage mechanism among enterprises, associations and government played a remarkable role in the process of response to trade frictions and obtained favorable achievements. Du Yuzhou, President of China National Textile Industry Council, said that the Ministry of Commerce guided and assisted the work of the Council and close relationship with relative MOFCOM departments was set up. Yang Weicai, Vice-Chairman of the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Association, said that the Association was willing to cooperate with the Ministry to play an important role to maintain the security of domestic industries. Meanwhile, the representative of associations put forward suggestions on foreign negotiations, launching of anti-dumping investigation, foster of proprietary intellectual property rights and implementation of brand strategy.

Mr. Bo Xilai said after the hearing of speeches of the representatives that the Ministry of Commerce, as an administrative department in charge of domestic trade and foreign economic cooperation, should successfully accomplish the mission of serving enterprises better, which was also the starting point and the goal. Industry associations and I&E Chambers of Commerce had outstanding talents, abundant experiences, exact information and close relations with enterprises, and became the important and indispensable bridge between government and enterprises. At this Symposium, the Ministry gained real, latest, worthy and first-hand information, much helpful to scientific decision and better work. The Ministry would earnestly study the suggestions.

Mr. Bo Xilai said that the Ministry would hear much more the suggestions of chambers of commerce and associations in the future in work of policies draft and foreign negotiations, would depend on the institutions to pool ideas to do better works of commerce with mutual efforts and to maintain better the basic interests of Chinese enterprises. Meanwhile, the Ministry should be more active to enhance the connections with chambers of commerce and associations, should share information and support work of them