Dear friends:

Good morning!

I am very pleased to attend today's conference. On behalf of the National Office for the Rectification and Regulation of Market Economic Order and the Ministry of Commerce, let me first of all extend my congratulations to the third group of enterprises that are awarded the title of "Chinese Enterprises with Good Commercial Credit" by the China General Chamber of Commerce.

The Party Central Committee and the State Council attach great importance to the improving the social credit system. At the 16th CPC National Congress and the Third Plenary Session of the 16th CPC Central Committee, and in the Eleventh Five-Year Plan, the strategic targets and priorities for building the social credit system were clearly presented. Furthermore, the 6th Plenary Session of the 16th CPC Central Committee more definitely called for efforts to enhance the credit standing of governments, businesses, and all social communities so that the whole society will have a stronger credit standing consciousness. The leaders of the Party Central Committee and the State Council have given many important instructions and comments on market order rectification and regulation, as well as building the social credit system. On March 4, Mr. Hu Jintao, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, presented his understanding of the concept of honor and disgrace in a socialist country, which is summarized as Eight Virtues vs. Eight Vices. Directing against such bad behaviors in the commercial circle as fraud, chasing benefit at the expense of others, profit-mongering, and credit deficiency, he advocates the idea of honoring sincerity and trust, and condemning sacrificing friendship for profit. In line with the requests of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, the National Office for the Rectification and Regulation of Market Economic Order and the Ministry of Commerce are earnestly coordinating the members of the Leading Group for Rectifying and Regulating the Market Economic Order in expanding their efforts in building the social credit system, reinforcing the sense of sincerity and honesty in commercial activities, guiding the chambers and associations to promote the social credit system and the enterprises to improve their credit standing management capacity.

Our experiences in regulating the market economic order tell us that the frequent cases of commercial fraud, tax evasion, contract violation, debt evasion and IPR infringement are closely related with the loss of the sense of credit standing, lack of knowledge on laws and regulations, and the late establishment of the social credit system. Therefore, the establishment of the social credit system is the fundamental way to rectify and regulate the market economic order. A long-term credit standing education and popularization mechanism must be put in place. We believe establishing the social credit system shall be a key systematic arrangement for improving the socialist market economic system. It will help lift up the moral standard of the whole nation, improve the socialist spiritual civilization, and create a social atmosphere of mutual trust and mutual benefit. It will be conducive to shaping up a unified, open, competitive and orderly market system, and to improving the socialist market economic system. It will be beneficial to purifying China’s investment and trade environment, effectively averting and preventing transaction risks, and creating a harmonious social environment.

Commercial enterprises are an important part of China's distribution industry. The commercial credit system is a part and parcel of the whole social credit system. Therefore, in order to better organize, guide and regulate various chambers, associations and agencies in their efforts in building a credit standing system in their respective industry, and improving the industry self-discipline, the National Office for the Rectification and Regulation of Market Economic Order and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council promulgated, at the end of 2005, the Guiding Opinions on the Efforts of the Chambers and Trade Associations in Building the Industry Credit System, which clearly define the concept, target, principle and main content of an industry credit system aiming to comprehensive push forward the work of building industry credit systems.

Industry credit rating is one of the numerous things that need to be done in building an industry credit system. At this moment, the National Office for the Rectification and Regulation of Market Economic Order and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council are choosing experimental subjects for industry credit rating. Our goal is to assist the chambers and associations in doing this meaningful job successfully by inviting experts on economics, law, and credit, as well as people from relevant government departments and financial institutions to argue on the pilot programs. I hope the chambers and trade associations involved in the pilot programs can comprehensively implement the Guiding Opinions on the Efforts of the Chambers and Trade Associations in Building the Industry Credit System and the Measures for the Execution of the Experimental Work of Industry Credit Rating by carefully carrying out the experiment and promoting the industry self-discipline for the healthy development of the industry.

China General Chamber of Commerce has done a lot in building a credit system in the distribution field, and accumulated some experience in this respect. With the theme of "Honesty, Harmony and Development", the Conference advocates the idea of "Revitalizing Commerce through Sincerity" by honoring Chinese Enterprises with Good Commercial Credit and opening the Chinese Commercial Credit Network. The above measures are very important for implementing the Eleventh Five-Year Plan in the commercial field, promoting the establishment of a commercial credit, and for expanding the activities of "Revitalizing Commerce through Sincerity".

I wish the Conference a complete success!

Thank you.

(Source: Network Center of MOFCOM)