此时，中国率先举行国际进口博览会意义重大，既充分表明中国致力于合作共赢、共同发展的新理念，以实际行动回击贸易保护主义；又向全世界展现中国坚定不移扩大开放的决心和信心，为各国扩大对华出口提供契机，也为各国彼此之间开展国际贸易、分享合作商机搭建新的平台。

　　习近平主席指出，“中国对外开放的大门不会关闭，只会越来越宽”。中国欢迎全世界搭乘中国发展快车，共享中国机遇。中国将继续放宽市场准入，创造更有吸引力的投资环境，加强知识产权保护，持续下调汽车和部分日用消费品进口关税，主动扩大进口。这些具体举措将为外国企业进入中国市场、扩大对华出口、分享中国发展新机遇带来巨大便利。

Under such circumstances, it is meaningful and significant for China to take the lead to host this International Import Expo. It will not only show to the world our commitment to win-win cooperation for common development and our determination and resolve for further reform and opening up, but also more importantly, to create fresh opportunities and to set up new platforms for countries around the world to grow their export to China, so as to share business and growth opportunities together.

The Chinese President Xi Jinping has made the commitment that, "the door of China's opening up will not close. It will only open wider." China stands ready to share its development opportunities with the rest of the world. Moving forward, the Chinese government will continue to relax market access, improve investment environment, and strengthen protection of intellectual property rights. We will continue to reduce tariff on automobiles and consumer goods, and take active steps to further expand import. These measures will greatly facilitate market access and export growth, and create new business opportunities for foreign companies to the Chinese market.

　　中国将始终坚定不移地高举和平、发展、合作、共赢的旗帜，秉持共商共建共享原则，以推进“一带一路”建设和举办国际进口博览会为抓手，共同致力于推动构建相互尊重、公平正义、合作共赢的新型国际关系和人类命运共同体，为世界实现持久和平与共同繁荣做出新的更大贡献。

　　中国已连续9年成为南非最大的贸易伙伴，南非已连续8年成为中国在非洲的最大贸易伙伴。去年，中南双边贸易额达391.7亿美元，较建交之初增长了26倍多。中国愿同南非优先分享14亿人口的巨大市场，继续采取鼓励举措，主动开放市场，鼓励南非更多产品出口中国。南非已成为对华出口牛肉的首个非洲国家，矿产、水果、红葡萄酒、海产品等优势产品对华出口规模增长迅速。我们真诚欢迎南企业抓住中国进口博览会带来的巨大机遇，推动更多有竞争力的商品进入中国市场，从中南友好互利合作中收获更多成果。

The Chinese government will firmly hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation and win-win, follow the principle to planning together, building together, and sharing together, and leverage the opportunities of the Belt and Road Initiative and the International Import Expo, to continue the efforts to promote a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win co-operation and to build a community with a shared future for mankind, so as to make greater contribution to world durable peace and common prosperity.

China has for 9 years remained South Africa's largest trading partner, and South Africa has for 8 years in a row remained China's biggest trading partner in Africa. In 2017, China-South Africa two-way trade reached 39.17 billion US dollars, an increase of over 26 times since the beginning of diplomatic ties. China is willing to make it a priority to share with South Africa its 1.4 billion population market. We will continue to take active measures to open up the Chinese market and encourage more South African exports to China. South Africa is already the first African country to export beef to China, and its exports of minerals, fruits, wine, and marine products are also growing fast. We look forward to more South African businesses seizing the opportunities of the China International Import Expo to enter the Chinese market, and to harvest more fruitful results from China-South Africa friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation.