Chinese Premier Li Qiang delivers a speech at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2024 in Davos, Switzerland, on January 16, 2024.Photo: Xinhua

Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Tuesday called for global cooperation in various areas to rebuild global trust, including strengthening macroeconomic policy coordination and international industrial specialization and cooperation, warning that lack of trust and fragmentation will risk global economic growth and peaceful development.

In a special address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Li said that China's economy is forecast to grow 5.2 percent in 2023, and that China's economy is making a steady recovery, vowing to continue to open up China's markets for global businesses, no matter how the global situation changes. 

The Chinese premier's emphasis on rebuilding global trust and strengthening global cooperation and remarks about the stability and openness of China's economy help inject a sense of certainty and positivity for a world that has been plagued by a severe economic downturn and rising geopolitical conflicts, experts said on Tuesday. 

China's support for an open world economy is in sharp contrast to the anti-globalization and rising protectionism spearheaded by countries such as the US. The steady recovery of the Chinese economy is offering great impetus for global growth, while the US' chaotic domestic policymaking poses risks for the global economy, experts noted. 

Defending globalization

In the closely watched speech in Davos, Switzerland, where more than 2,800 global political, business and society leaders have gathered to discuss how to rebuild trust, the Chinese premier offered a five-point plan, including macroeconomic policy coordination, international industrial specialization and cooperation, cooperation in innovation, cooperation in green development, and north-south and south-south cooperation.

Li warned of a deepening trust deficit, saying the lack of trust is exacerbating the risks to global economic growth and peaceful development, noting many cases in bilateral and multilateral relations where mutual trust is undermined by the willfulness of one side. He warned that under the impact of global crises, if countries are fragmented in fighting their own battles, the world economy will become more fragile.

"I think Premier Li made China's unwavering support for globalization and an open world economy very clear again at this very important international forum, in stark contrast to the de-globalization trend promoted by certain countries," Bai Ming, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times on Tuesday. 

Bai noted that China's position on globalization carries great significance for a global audience that is increasingly worried about the state of the global economy and economic globalization, given China's economic size and its influence on the world economy. "It's clear that China has become a leading force in promoting economic globalization," he said. 

In his speech, Li vowed that China itself will not break commitments, nor would it force others to pick sides, and China has always been a staunch force in safeguarding multilateralism.

As tensions between China and the US have been rising, their different approaches for the global economy have drawn great attention among global experts and businesses. The US' impulsiveness in turning everything into a competition with China was reportedly on vivid display in Davos. 

US news outlet Politico reported on Monday that US diplomats were so worried about the big Chinese delegation that they were trying to arrange a meeting between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken with a Swiss official. In addition to Blinken, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan was also in Davos. However, no economic officials from the US were listed as speakers at highlight sessions.

Mei Xinyu, a Beijing-based trade expert, said that whatever US officials say at the WEF will not hide the fact that the US has become a serious risk for the global economy, as it seeks to "build fences and walls" and fan military conflicts. "These are all very dangerous to the world economy," Mei told the Global Times on Tuesday, noting that the US delegation, consisting of mostly national security officials, shows that the US' focus is not on economic development.  

Mei added that the US economy faces serious risks because of relentless partisan fights that affect everything from government budgets to global cooperation policies.

Injecting impetus

Meanwhile, China's economy continues on a steady recovery trend and is contributing greatly to the world economy, experts noted. 

In his speech on Tuesday, Premier Li offered a comprehensive assessment of the Chinese economy, and notably offered a forecast of a 5.2 percent growth rate for China's economy in 2023, noting that the rate is higher than the official growth target of around 5 percent. He said that Chinese economy is making steady progress, and will continue to provide a strong impetus for the world economy.

China is scheduled to release economic data, including GDP growth, for 2023 on Wednesday.

"A 5.2 percent growth rate would be very impressive, considering all the challenges in 2023, including an uncertain global economy and so-called economic decoupling. It not only shows that China has maintained steady growth, but more importantly, it highlights the rise of China's endogenous driving force," Bai said, adding that it would have a great positive spillover effect on other economies. 

Steven Alan Barnett, senior IMF resident representative in China, said in a recent interview with the Global Times that China would contribute one-third of global growth in 2023, and it would have positive spillovers for the rest of the world. A 1 percentage point increase in growth in China would, on average, increase the level of output in other economies by 0.3 percent over the medium term, Barnett said. 

Apart from its contribution to global growth, China's vast market offers great opportunities for global businesses. 

In his speech at the WEF, Li said that no matter how the world situation changes, China will always adhere to the fundamental national policy of opening-up, and will only open its door wider and wider to the outside world.

Such pledges from the Chinese premier offer great encouragement for global businesses. 

Rani Jarkas, chairman of Swiss financial firm Cedrus Group, said there is a lot of enthusiasm in Davos about China's economic prospects. "As a Swiss company that is heavily invested in China, we have two meetings with very important asset managers, and they are all asking me about the slowdown in China. And I said that the economy is being really balanced for better and stronger economic growth," Jarkas, who was in Davos, told the Global Times on Tuesday. 

"2024 will be a very good year for Chinese economy. The outlook is very positive, I think we will see around 5 percent economic growth for 2024 in China, because many of the great policies that the government implemented in 2023, they will start paying off in 2024," Jarkas said.