The World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2023, also known as the “Davos Forum,” is to be held from January 16 to 20. Chinese Vice Premier Liu He will attend this annual meeting. The WEF’s annual meeting returns to offline format for the first time in three years since the COVID-19 broke out, which, to a certain extent, marks that the world economy and people’s social lives are gradually walking out of the shadow of the pandemic. However, just as the WEF’s host said, multiple crises are exacerbating the division of the world and causing a breakdown in the geopolitical landscape. As image and voice of China at the WEF always attract high global attention, the world is looking forward to China’s constructive role at a time when global economic risks are intensifying.
The theme of this year’s WEF is “Cooperation in a Fragmented World.” The WEF, known as the weathervane of the world economy, is clearly targeted in setting the theme. It not only underscores the most prominent problems facing the world but also gives directions for solution based on the most common concerns and wishes of the international community. The world is now facing a series of challenges. The Russia-Ukraine conflict and geopolitical changes accompanying it have been going on. Some countries have repeatedly adopted unilateral policies with an attempt to revitalize their own economies and concepts such as value-based trade and friend-shoring have begun to emerge stimulated by geopolitical tensions, further jeopardizing the stability of global trade and industrial chains.
We noticed that the theme of the WEF 2018 was “Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World.” At that time, the world had already seen dangerous signs of split. Despite the constant calls and warnings issued by international conferences such as the WEF, the world has gradually moved from the “fractured” 2018 to the “fragmented” state that is evident to all today. This is undoubtedly regrettable. The international community needs to further increase its criticism and condemnation on those who are splitting the world and sabotaging cooperation and related actions, forming a more deterrent force of public opinion and joint action.
It should be underlined that China’s propositions and voices are always in step with the Davos Spirit and have provided a strong support for it. In 2017, Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the opening plenary of the 2017 World Economic Forum in Davos for the first time and delivered keynote speech entitled “Jointly Shoulder Responsibility of Our Times, Promote Global Growth,” expounding the view and advocacy of economic globalization. On the next day, Xi delivered a keynote speech systematically elaborating the importance of building a community with a shared future for mankind at the UN Office at Geneva.
In 2022, Xi introduced the Global Development Initiative to the participating countries in his speech. The Chief Representative Officer of the WEF’s Beijing Representative Office believes that this is “a timely call-for-action to address global challenge.” These important ideals hit the crux of international situation and proposed constructive solutions. Not only did they receive warm responses from the international community at that time, but their value became more prominent and they showed stronger vitality when global cooperation in under threat.
We can see a high degree of continuity and certainty from China’s voices in consecutive WEFs. Looking back at the risks and the challenges the world has been facing in recent years, China and the WEF have always been “fellow travelers” in unswervingly safeguarding the vision of global cooperation. From the debate on whether to abandon economic globalization, to distinguish real and fake multilateralism, Chinese leaders have expressed stance of “rebalancing the process of economic globalization, and steering the global economy out of difficulty” and “world affairs should be handled through extensive consultation.”This time, China will once again express the firm stance to maintain global cooperation and join hands to walk out of the economic predicament.
China has always been the most steadfast practitioner of bridging differences and promoting cooperation. China’s development direction is consistent and its development path stable in recent years. Last year, China convened the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, which drew the blueprint; it held the Central Economic Work Conference, which set the path; it optimized COVID response measures, which brought into play the advantages accumulated in the past three years. Most international organizations and investment institutes have given optimistic projection for China’s economy in 2023. The Chinese economy itself is a bright spot in terms of supporting international cooperation and global recovery. It beams light of hope amid gloom for the struggling global economy in 2023.
Since 1979, China has never missed a WEF. Today, the Davos Spirit with openness and cooperation as core is also resonating with China. The WEF has witnessed China’s opening-up and development in decades. China’s ideals and achievements also made the Davos Spirit more dazzling. At the WEF this year, the world will once again witness that “China’s development is an opportunity for the world,” and we also believe that China will have more like-minded friends at the WEF.
(Global Times)
