China’s premier tells world’s trade, finance leaders that its ‘doors will be opened wider’

Li Keqiang vows to ‘facilitate international exchanges and people mobility’, at annual round-table gathering featuring face-to-face exchanges with heads of IMF, World Bank, WTO and others

China’s economic slowdown this year – largely owing to its strict zero-Covid policy – has put additional strain on the global economy

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Premier Li Keqiang sits across from World Trade Organization director general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in their meeting on Thursday. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 8:55pm, 9 Dec 2022Updated: 9:02pm, 9 Dec 2022

China is letting the world’s trade and financial leaders know that it is already embarking on a steady economic recovery, and that it will embrace more international exchanges, days after recalibrating its zero-Covid strategy.

The world’s second-largest economy will also be able to safeguard global supply chains and continue to be investor-friendly, Premier Li Keqiang vowed on Friday at the 1+6 Roundtable, an annual dialogue between China and six major international organisations.

“We’ll further smooth logistics to ensure stable operations of industrial and supply chains,” Li was quoted as saying by state broadcaster CCTV. “We’ll also facilitate international exchanges and people mobility.”

The annual dialogue is a key platform that China uses to communicate its economic policies and role on the world stage. The two-day gathering, in Huangshan city, Anhui province, also marks the first time that the meeting has been held in person in three years.

The meeting was attended by heads of the World Bank; World Trade Organization (WTO); International Monetary Fund (IMF); International Labour Organization; Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; and Financial Stability Board.