World News | China Open to World; Life Coming Back to Normal: Chinese Vice Premier on Covid Situation

Davos, Jan 17 (PTI) Asserting that life is coming back to normal in China, Vice Premier Liu He on Tuesday said the world is welcome to his country and also assured continuation of opening up of the economy.

Delivering a special address at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023 here, he also called for international cooperation, a global response to climate change and placing economic development as the 'primary and central task'.

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"Mutual understanding is an important prerequisite for cooperation. Online communication, no matter how frequent or how technologically advanced, is no substitute for in-person meetings," he said.

"I had quite a number of very warm meetings with some old friends these two days. Hopefully, at this face-to-face meeting, I can help you understand the Chinese economy better," he said.

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The Chinese leader is scheduled to meet several global leaders, including from the US, during his visit to Davos.

"In 2023, we will continue to try to make progress while maintaining stability, and follow a proactive fiscal policy and a prudent monetary policy. We will strive to maintain reasonable economic growth, and keep prices and jobs stable.

"More focus will be placed on expanding domestic demand, keeping supply chains stable, supporting the private sector, reforming the state-owned enterprises (SOEs), attracting foreign investment, and preventing economic and financial risks," he said.

If we work hard enough, we are confident that growth will most likely return to its normal trend, and the Chinese economy will see a significant improvement in 2023, he added.

"A noticeable increase of import, more investment by companies, and consumption returning back to normal can be expected," he said.

"Opening-up, as a basic state policy, is a catalyst of reform and development, and a key driver of economic progress in China. China's door to the outside will only open wider," he added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)