"Central Broadcasting News" orderly lifts administrative restrictions on consumption and purchases to activate the vitality of the consumer market

After the outbreak of the new coronavirus pneumonia, my country effectively controlled the spread of the epidemic in a relatively short period of time. A series of policy measures to stimulate market vitality and promote consumption recovery continued to bear fruit, and the consumer market also recovered rapidly. The total retail sales of consumer goods turned from negative growth to positive growth, reaching 0.5, 3.3, 4.3, and 5 successively since August. But overall, my country's consumption has not yet returned to pre-epidemic levels. It is still in the recovery period, and there is still a large consumption potential that has not been released.

The Central Economic Work Conference held from December 16 to 18 first mentioned the "orderly elimination of some administrative regulations restricting consumption and purchases", which will have an important impact on my country's economic and social development and people's lives.

China has a population of 1.4 billion and a middle-income group of more than 400 million. It is the largest market with the greatest potential in the world. With the continuous expansion of economic development, the scale of total consumption continues to expand, and the trend of consumption upgrading continues and expands. Domestic demand has great space and potential. At present, the domestic epidemic prevention and control results are obvious, and people's confidence in consumption continues to increase, creating good conditions for the recovery of consumption. In order for my country's consumption to further return to pre-COVID-19 levels and achieve greater development, fiscal and monetary policy measures are needed, as well as corresponding administrative measures. Currently, many restrictive administrative measures are still restricting the release of my country's consumption potential. It is imperative to lift these restrictions in an orderly manner.

First of all, with the normalization of epidemic prevention and control, some administrative measures to restrict gathering consumption should be gradually lifted. According to the actual situation and requirements of prevention and control, flexible management should be adopted, with a combination of tightness and tightness. For example, the limit on the number of people in gatherings can be relaxed appropriately, and consumption in closed environments can be opened in an orderly manner, so that consumption in catering, tourism, entertainment, culture, sports, etc. The space is appropriately expanded and consumption channels are reasonably increased.

At the same time, it is necessary to promptly clear up some administrative measures that restricted consumption that were in place before the epidemic, to meet the new needs of the people to improve their lives, optimize the consumption environment, improve consumption quality, and promote consumption growth. For example, various localities can orderly lift restrictions on car purchases and purchase of high-end consumer goods. Taking the cancellation of car purchase restrictions as an example, it will not only promote the growth of the automobile consumer market, but also trigger consumption growth in a series of markets such as transportation, tourism, and catering. Stimulate the job market and promote the development of related industries, forming a new driving force for economic growth.

It should be noted that the "orderly cancellation of some administrative regulations restricting consumption and purchases" is not a "one-size-fits-all" complete liberalization, but an "orderly cancellation" that is staged, hierarchical, and There are conditional liberalizations in different areas, and they are at a higher level. While "orderly canceling", it is also important to strengthen consumption guidance, strengthen demand management, and advocate healthy and safe consumption activities. Urban digital management and information innovation should be strengthened to be more scientific, precise, and efficient in implementation, and promote Consumption upgrading will promote consumption to a higher level and meet the people's growing needs for a better life. (Hong Tao, Director and Professor of the Institute of Business Economics, Beijing Technology and Business University)