BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that the opening-up measures he announced at last year's China International Import Expo (CIIE) have been implemented to the full.

China has taken steady steps to expand imports, with imports of goods and services outpacing the global average over the past year, Xi said while delivering a keynote speech via video at the opening ceremony of the third CIIE.

The items on the national negative list for foreign investment have been cut from 40 to 33, while the number of pilot free trade zones has increased from 18 to 21, Xi said.

The Master Plan for the Development of Hainan Free Trade Port and the Implementation Plan for Further Reform and Opening-up in Shenzhen have both been released and taken effect, he said.

Solid progress has been seen in concluding high-standard free trade agreements, developing demonstration zones for creative promotion of import trade, protecting intellectual property rights, and advancing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, Xi said.