To survive the trade war, China aims to create a stronger domestic economy

Beijing is doubling down on efforts to create a stronger domestic market, as it focuses on reducing China’s vulnerability to external tariff shocks even amid a tentative ceasefire in the country’s trade war with the United States.

Premier Li Qiang said on Thursday that China would continue to anchor its development strategy in bolstering “domestic circulation” – a concept that refers to strengthening the country’s economic self-reliance by creating a robust, unified domestic market – according to the state-run news agency Xinhua.

The country should harness the economy’s “internal stability and long-term growth potential” to “offset rising global uncertainties and keep China’s development on a steady course”, Li stressed at a State Council meeting chaired by Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang.

“I think the government has realised China can no longer rely on exports as the dominant growth driver, given the current deglobalisation trend,” said Zhang Zhiwei, president and chief economist at Pinpoint Asset Management.