In a bid to boost its economy, China has launched a charm offensive on foreign firms, as Chinese Premier Li Qiang reiterated the country’s commitment to opening up and reforming the world’s second-largest economy, during his keynote speech at a business and political summit in the Hainan province. This comes at a time when tensions with the West are high, with issues such as its relationship with Russia, its stance towards Taiwan, and concerns about its use of sensitive technologies causing strain.
Li’s speech, which was delivered at the annual Boao Forum, was aimed at foreign investors, as he emphasized the country’s desire to introduce new measures to expand market access and improve the business environment. He also expressed his confidence in China being a huge force for world prosperity and stability.
The Chinese Premier’s maiden speech after taking office saw him pledging to ease regulatory crackdowns and support private enterprises. This seems to be bearing fruit already, with e-commerce giant, Alibaba Group (BABA), announcing plans to break up its empire and explore fundraising or listings.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on China’s economy, with rigid border controls and sweeping lockdowns sapping business confidence, especially among foreign firms. Though the curbs were lifted in December, sentiment surveys indicate that foreign firms remain cautious about doing business in China.
China has set a modest target of around 5% for GDP growth this year, after missing its target for 2022. However, some private forecasters and the International Monetary Fund think the country can achieve higher growth.
While Li’s message to business was received positively, there were cautionary notes sounded, with concerns raised about trade protectionism and decoupling. The European Commission announced measures to control outbound investment to prevent sensitive technologies from going to rivals such as China.
Despite the geopolitical tensions, Li believes that “chaos and conflicts” must not happen in Asia, and that China will act as an anchor for global peace.
