China says it will pursue 'correct' path of globalisation
BEIJING
China's number two leader told a gathering of business executives in Beijing yesterday that the country would pursue economic globalisation despite "fragmentation", a thinly veiled reference to trade turmoil sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The China Development Forum convenes after weeks that have seen Trump slap multiple rounds of tariffs on goods from the country, threatening a vital lifeline as economic challenges persist.
Chinese leaders have been seeking to steer a shaky economy onto a more stable path since the end of the pandemic, particularly by boosting consumption.
They are also now seeking to assert the country's role as a staunch defender of the multilateral economic system, as Trump wages tariff wars with major U.S. trading partners including China, Canada and Mexico.
"China will firmly stand on the correct side of history, that of fairness and justice, and act in a righteous manner amid the rough waters of the times," Premier Li Qiang said.
Li's speech came at the opening of the annual forum, attended this year by prominent business leaders including Apple CEO Tim Cook.
The country will "adhere to the correct direction of economic globalisation, practice true multilateralism and strive to be a force for stability and certainty", Li vowed.
Beijing has in recent weeks expressed an open attitude toward engaging with Trump for trade talks.
U.S. Senator Steve Daines on Saturday met with He Lifeng, China's Vice Premier responsible for economic matters, during a visit to Beijing viewed as a bid to ease strained relations.
Daines is also meeting with Li on Sunday for talks that are expected to involve the cross-border flow of fentanyl and the deadly drug's precursor chemicals from China into the United States.
