China will actively expand imports and promote balanced trade, as the country moves to turn itself into the "world's market", a consumption powerhouse that shares its massive potential of domestic demand with global businesses amid rising protectionism, experts and executives said.

Earlier this month, a commentary published in Qiushi Journal, a flagship magazine of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, cautioned that: "A larger export volume is not necessarily better, and blindly chasing an ever-growing trade surplus could expose China's economy to serious potential risks."

Domestically, channeling an excessive share of resources into export sectors would inevitably crowd out industries that serve the domestic market, while externally, a high export-to-GDP ratio makes the economy more vulnerable to fluctuations in global demand and trade policies, the article noted.

Promoting balanced trade is "not about suppressing exports but about moderately reducing the trade surplus through expanded imports and structural optimization", it said.

"Exports and imports function like the two wheels of a vehicle — the more balanced they are, the smoother and farther the vehicle travels," said Commerce Minister Wang Wentao at a news conference in March.

As the world's second-largest import market, China possesses substantial untapped market potential underpinned by its rapidly expanding middle-income group, Wang said, adding that China will expand imports of agricultural products, quality consumer goods, advanced technology equipment and key components.

The import push is backed by concrete measures.

The "Export to China" campaign will host over 100 promotional events this year, helping foreign suppliers navigate market entry. Cross-border e-commerce platforms are being encouraged to establish overseas direct-sourcing bases, creating a "direct express lane" for global goods.

In the first two months of this year, China's imports went up 17.1 percent year-on-year to 3.11 trillion yuan ($451 billion), data from the General Administration of Customs showed.

Boosting imports is not a short-term policy measure for China, but rather a long-term strategic priority that has already been incorporated into the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30).

Robert Koopman, former chief economist at the World Trade Organization, said that over the next five to 10 years, "an important evolution in China's role is going to shift toward being a big center of demand" for the rest of the world.

The import-boosting initiatives also align with Beijing's broad push to strengthen domestic consumption, as Chinese households increasingly seek diverse products and services that foreign suppliers are well-positioned to provide, economists and executives said.

Marshall Mills, the International Monetary Fund's senior resident representative in China, said that China's rebalancing toward consumption-led growth would help narrow global trade imbalances and support stronger, more sustainable development worldwide, as the country's large current account and trade surpluses are expected to decrease over time amid the rebalancing process.

"China's latest five-year blueprint places a clear emphasis on expanding high-quality consumption, accelerating innovation and boosting domestic demand, which closely align with PepsiCo's own strategic focus," said Ramon Laguarta, chairman and CEO of the global food and beverage giant.

In China, the company operates more than 70 farms, over 50 beverage bottling plants, 10 food manufacturing facilities and a research and development center designed to understand local consumer preferences.

"Many innovations inspired by traditional Chinese food culture and consumer insights have now successfully entered markets across Asia, and have even reached the United States and Europe," Laguarta said. "China not only drives our growth — it is shaping our global future."