China needs to spare no efforts in structural reform and stay focused on steady growth in foreign trade to realize its industrial upgrading and economic transition, Vice-Premier Wang Yang said.

The vice-premier was speaking during a two-day inspection tour (Feb 15-16) of Suzhou in Jiangsu province. His trip was focused on the city’s foreign trade.

He stressed that local governments need to fully implement policies in support of foreign trade development.

Wang and officials from various departments visited 17 enterprises in Suzhou to study their export figures, experiences, as well as related policy requirements for foreign trade. During a symposium with local enterprises, he stressed that the government needs to swiftly control sliding trends in imports and exports, preventing any slowdown from gathering momentum.

He said that the government needs to act firmly with the development path of innovation-driven enterprises, and be more focused on structural reform, industrial upgrading and improving the environment. He also stressed the importance of pushing the transition from export quantity into exports of world-leading quality.