The new document also proposed several measures that could spark innovation in foreign trade development. These include facilitating trade digitization, cross-border e-commerce, green trade and border trade, and the gradual transfer of processing to less developed central and western regions of the country.

Efforts will also be made to stabilize and expand the import and export volume of key products, including automobiles.

The guideline urged local governments and business associations to set up direct interaction with automobile and shipping companies, and encourage them to sign medium- to long-term agreements. Banks and their overseas institutions are also encouraged to create financial products and services to support automobile overseas' branches.

The guideline also highlighted efforts to expand imports of advanced technological equipment.

"These will contribute to stabilizing China's trade growth momentum and to achieving optimization of its export structure in the medium- to long-term," Ma said.

Improving structure key

The latest trade figures from the General Administration of Customs show that exports grew by 8.5 percent year-on-year in April — surprisingly strong despite weakening global demand. Export volume grew to $295.4 billion, though at a slower pace compared with that of March.

Ma remains optimistic and noted that more efforts should be focused on improving China's trade structure, a point that is also underscored in the document.