Global enterprises bet on Chinese market

China has emerged as a dependable pillar of stability in an increasingly fragmented global economy, academics and business executives said as the annual China International Import Expo in Shanghai underscored the country’s effort to solidify investor confidence and sustain global trade momentum.

- By ZHONG NAN

Foreign guests visit the China Pavilion of the expo.

As trade tensions and geopolitical friction weigh on global growth, the expo has become a vivid example of China’s commitment to high-level opening-up and to sharing its vast market opportunities with the world, they said.

Speaking at a sub-forum during the expo, held from November 5 to 10, Wang Wen, dean of the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies of Renmin University of China in Beijing, said that rising geopolitical uncertainties have dampened global investment confidence, dragged on economic growth and weakened trade momentum.

“Governments and companies around the world are now seeking new pathways to ensure resilience and long-term competitiveness in the face of such challenges,” he said.

Sheng Qiuping, vice-minister of commerce, said, “In this process, China will continue to serve as a stabilizing force for the global economy, promoting regional cooperation and reinforcing the multilateral trading system, while offering long-term predictability to global investors.”