China’s Li Qiang to attend World Economic Forum in Davos as Beijing pushes for economic recovery
- Chinese premier to address opening ceremony of annual meeting that will be attended by about 60 senior political leaders
- After the Davos summit, Li will pay official visits to Switzerland and Ireland as Beijing kicks off ‘high-level exchange’ with Europe
Li is expected to lead a large business and government delegation to the Swiss resort, where he will address the opening ceremony on Monday, according to Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning.
He will be the most senior Chinese official to join the annual gathering in person since President Xi Jinping attended in 2017.
Speaking at the daily press conference in Beijing, Mao said Li’s attendance came against the backdrop of global geopolitical and economic uncertainties.
Mao said China hoped to join other parties at the forum to “strengthen communication and enhance mutual understanding and trust to push forward the economic recovery of the world and to improve global economic governance”.
About 60 senior political leaders, as well as some 1,600 business leaders, are expected to attend the annual forum, which bears the theme “Rebuilding Trust”.
Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky will also address the gathering.
It remains unclear whether Li will participate in a Sunday meeting to rally the Global South’s support for Ukraine’s peace proposal and its resistance against the Russian invasion. Around 70 top officials will join, according to the organiser.
During his official visit to Switzerland, Li is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with Swiss President Viola Amherd, who was sworn in a month ago, as well as other senior members of the government to further their innovative strategic partnership established in 2016 – the first of its kind between China and a foreign country.
Mao said Li’s visit marked the “start of the high-level exchange between China and Europe”.
The two sides are expected to continue to explore “huge potential” for cooperation in trade, finance, innovation and culture to “improve political trust, boost bilateral and multilateral cooperation and join efforts to support free trade and multilateralism”.
After Switzerland, the 64-year-old Chinese premier will also pay an official visit to Ireland, where trade, green development and education will be high on the agenda, Mao said.
