As the 2016 Government Work Report highlights the necessity of advancing opening-up to a higher level in order to expand win-win results, free trade zones (FTZ) are coming ever more into the limelight, for the role they can play in achieving the overall goals.

Jiang Zengwei, a CPPCC member and chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, has stressed the role of FTZs in providing a good platform to facilitate further opening-up.[Photo/China.org.cn]

As required by the nation's central authorities, FTZs are crucial for the new round of high-level opening up in that they serve as platforms to achieve the target, said Jiang Zengwei, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the national advisory body.

Speaking on March 9, Jiang, who also chairs the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), said the central government had established the FTZs to explore highly-efficient management of foreign trade and foreign investment by means of "trials and explorations."

"FTZs provide a docking facility for the market and for international trade and investment. FTZs have higher demands in terms of operation and management capabilities for various aspects than other trade-based zones. The successful experiences in an FTZ will be promoted nationwide and there surely will be more FTZs in the country," said Jiang.