Bilateral trade agreements have become an important way for China to expand exports and avoid artificial trade barriers.

双边自由贸易协定已经成为中国扩大出口，绕开贸易壁垒的一条主要途径。

youdao

And I think it's an indication: they are not going to be anti-free trade; they are not going to be for putting artificial barriers in the way.

我认为这是一个象征：他们不想反对自由贸易；他们不想在前进的道路上人为地设置障碍。

youdao

To some extent, firms are responding to the artificial incentives offered by trade barriers.

ECONOMIST: Global pile-up