China promises to open its doors even wider

DAVOS • Chinese Vice-Premier Han Zheng said yesterday that China will open its doors even wider to the world despite the unilateral and protectionist practices by "some countries".

Speaking at the World Economic Forum, Mr Han said: "China will continue to take major steps of reform and opening up to drive economic globalisation, and make new contributions to sustainable global development."

It will further widen market access for foreign investors, import more goods and services, improve the business environment, foster new drivers of opening up, and strengthen multilateral and bilateral cooperation, he added.

Mr Han noted that China has become a leading engine of the world economy, contributing around 30 per cent to global growth in recent years.

It has actively implemented the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and played a leading role in international cooperation on climate change, which has made global development more inclusive and sustainable, he said.

Meanwhile, Huawei Technologies founder Ren Zhengfei yesterday shrugged off the threat that the United States will impose even stricter sanctions against his company, saying he was confident China's largest tech company can survive further attacks from Washington.

Tighter restrictions on the sale of US technology to the telecommunications giant - something the White House is considering - will not have very significant impact on Huawei, the billionaire chief executive said during a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum.

"This year, the US might further escalate its campaign against Huawei but I feel the impact on Huawei's business would not be very significant," he said in response to a question about US curbs. "We're confident we can survive further attacks."

Huawei has risen to global prominence as the No. 2 smartphone maker and a leader in the fifth-generation wireless technology that will underpin future advances from autonomous cars to robotics. It has also become a major target for the US as China's technological prowess grew along with its ambitions.

The Trump administration has pushed allies to ban Huawei equipment from their networks on worries about spying, and blacklisted Huawei along with a clutch of Chinese technology firms in fields ranging from artificial intelligence to surveillance.

XINHUA, BLOOMBERG, REUTERS