Foreign media misread notice as protectionism

Source: Xinhua  |   2009-6-27  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

THE Chinese government yesterday said it was "a misunderstanding" by some foreign media which had labeled its latest circular to boost domestic demand and step up supervision on construction projects as "protectionism."

The remarks were jointly made yesterday by Yao Jian, a spokesman of the Ministry of Commerce, and Li Pumin, a spokesman of the National Development and Reform Commission.

China issued the circular early this month.

Some media, including international news agencies, labeled it as "Buy China" stimulus measure.

The spokesmen said China was against trade protectionism and had been consistently sticking to mutually beneficial principles and actively boosting economic and trade cooperation with other countries amid the global downturn.

It was not new policy favoring China's stimulus plan nor prejudice against foreign companies or goods, the spokesmen said.