The macro-management mode of foreign trade is divided into two stages. One stage is the macro-management of foreign trade under the planned economy system, which is mainly manifested in the management and control of foreign trade through planned management and administrative orders; The first stage is the macro-control of foreign trade since the reform and opening-up, which has changed from a planned economy to a socialist market economy, making the market a basic means of allocating resources, gradually improving the market system, and gradually establishing a macro-control system of foreign trade with indirect control as the mainstay. Before the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the main feature was that a macro-management system of foreign trade was gradually formed to regulate foreign trade activities through various means such as planning, administrative measures, laws and regulations, and economic leverage. After the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the goal of China's macro-management reform and adjustment of foreign trade is to change the macro-management function of foreign trade and establish a macro-management system of foreign trade based on legal means, with economic adjustment as the main means, supplemented by necessary administrative means.

Management means:

(1) Legal means: China's foreign trade legal system, foreign trade law and other laws and regulations on macro-management of China's foreign trade;

(2) Economic adjustment means: exchange rate and exchange rate system, foreign trade tax and tax system, import and export credit system;

(3) Administrative means: foreign trade management right management, import and export quota management, import and export license management, customs management, import and export foreign exchange management, import and export commodity inspection management, and import and export commodity origin management.