Chinese Premier Li Qiang (李強) yesterday called China an “anchor for world peace” while expressing optimism about a recovery in the world’s second-biggest economy in a keynote speech at a forum that included business and government leaders from around the globe.
“Chaos and conflicts must not happen in Asia, otherwise the future of Asia would be lost,” Li told the Boao Forum for Asia amid tensions between China and the US over issues such as Beijing’s aggression against Taiwan, trade and technology.
At the event in Boao, China, he also urged nations to “firmly safeguard the hard-won peaceful environment.”
Photo: AFP
“In this uncertain world, the certainty China offers is an anchor for world peace and development,” he said. “This is the case in the past and will remain so in the future.”
Li said China would not take the path of colonization and plunder, and called on the world to pursue multilateralism.
He also pledged that his nation would be a strong force for prosperity in the world.
China’s economic recovery is picking up pace and data for this month would likely be better than the first two months of the year, Li said, adding that China would continue to pursue stability, expand domestic demand, open up the economy and safeguard the financial sector.
Li said a China that is “stable and dedicated to development” would be a pillar for the world economy in a time of uncertainty.
The four-day gathering comes as Beijing rolls out a charm offensive to court overseas business and investment, and bolster its diplomatic efforts to portray China as a responsible geopolitical actor.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has designated this year as the “Year of Investing in China,” with a series of promotional events planned to entice investors.
Local media this week reported that Shanghai is about to launch a campaign aimed at boosting investment, saying that its goal is to attract funding for eight major building projects, including a railway passenger terminal.
A host of international leaders are attending this year’s Boao gathering, including Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (李顯龍), Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
In a meeting with foreign executives this week, Li urged them to take a long-term view amid economic challenges and vowed to continue opening up to global businesses.
While strained China-US relations rarely came up during the China Development Forum this week, the mood at a closed-door panel was “somber,” said Scott Kennedy, a China specialist at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
At the session, which did not include Li or other senior officials, some Chinese participants complained about “a reflexive American opposition to China’s success,” while US participants expressed concern over an unintentional crisis erupting, Kennedy said.
Foreign companies are contending with security risks.
Japan is seeking the release of an employee of drugmaker Astellas who was recently taken into custody by Chinese authorities.
Beijing has said a Japanese citizen was suspected of espionage.
Also, five local employees at US due diligence firm Mintz Group were detained last week, the New York Times reported.
The company “is suspected of engaging in unlawful business operations,” the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Economic prospects in China are improving, with economists predicting growth of 5.3 percent this year, up from just 3 percent last year.
In a meeting with IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva on Wednesday, Li said China was confident of meeting its full-year goals.
Beijing has set a growth target of about 5 percent for the year.
Even so, foreign businesses remain cautious. China is no longer one of the top three investment priorities for US firms, the latest survey from the American Chamber of Commerce in China showed.
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