Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan on Sunday stressed the importance of China stabilizing its exports and increasing imports despite the grim and complicated global economic outlook sapping demand.

Faced with such a troubled external environment, China should handle its own affairs well, Wang said when meeting with government officials from six coastal provinces.

Transforming trade development patterns based on the principle of promoting balanced trade through stabilizing growth is the fundamental means to ride out the current difficulties, he said.

He pledged to keep foreign trade policy stable and consistent, make more efforts to support small businesses, and urged expansion in emerging markets.

During his trip to a number of state-owned machinery producers, Wang said the enterprises should accelerate technological innovation and brand-building to snatch bigger overseas market share.