China to ‘embrace free markets and free trade’, Premier Li Qiang says at CIIE opening
Addressing government officials, business leaders, merchants in Shanghai, premier said Beijing was resolute about supporting globalisation
“At a time when the world economy is slowing down and international disputes are intensifying, we must all the more adhere to equal and mutually beneficial cooperation, embrace free markets and free trade, and resolve cross-border contradictions and problems through joint development,” he said.
“China is willing to work with all parties to create an open and inclusive development environment, enhance the level of trade and investment liberalisation and facilitation, ensure the stability and smooth operation of global industrial and supply chains, and better gather momentum for economic development.”
China would focus on “promoting high-quality development, expanding domestic demand – especially consumption – and fully unleashing the internal demand potential of our large market of over 1.4 billion people,” Li added.
In the next five years, China’s economic scale was projected to exceed 170 trillion yuan (US$23.9 trillion), he said. “The country will steadfastly advance high-level opening-up to the outside world.”