PRESIDENT Xi Jinping on Tuesday called for joint efforts to chart the course of economic globalization and forge new models of global growth, cooperation, governance and development.

    Xi made the remarks while addressing the opening plenary of the 2017 annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF). He is the first Chinese head of state to attend the Davos meetings in Switzerland.

    Amid a rising tide of global concerns for protectionism, anti-globalization sentiment and other economic and political issues, Xi’s presence with Chinese experience at Davos bears tremendous historic significance, said WEF founder and executive chairman Klaus Schwab.

    Blaming economic globalization for the world’s problems is inconsistent with reality and unhelpful in solving the problems, Xi said, underlining the need to act pro-actively and manage economic globalization appropriately, so as to release its positive impact and rebalance its process.

    Citing the contributing role his country — the world’s second- largest economy — has played in economic globalization, Xi said China’s rapid growth has been a sustained, powerful engine for global economic stability and expansion.

    China’s remarkable achievement in poverty reduction has contributed to more inclusive global growth, and its continuous progress in reform and opening up has lent much momentum to an open world economy, he added.

    Xi pledged that China’s development will continue to offer opportunities to business communities in other countries.

    In the coming five years, China is expected to import goods worth US$8 trillion, attract US$600 billion in foreign investment, and make US$750 billion in outbound investment, said the president, adding that Chinese tourists will make 700 million overseas visits.

    China will keep its door wide open, Xi told the forum, voicing hope that other countries will also keep their door open to Chinese investors and keep the playing field level for them.

    China has no intention of boosting its trade competitiveness by devaluing the RMB, still less will it launch a currency war, Xi said.

    On the progress of the Belt and Road Initiative, Xi told the audience that Chinese investment in the countries along the routes has surpassed US$50 billion in the past three years.

    Over 100 countries and international organizations have given warm responses and support to the initiative, and more than 40 have signed cooperation agreements with China, said the Chinese president, who put forward the initiative in 2013.

    Meanwhile, Chinese companies have launched a number of major projects in the countries along the routes, spurring the economic development of these countries and creating many local jobs, Xi noted.

    Xi arrived in Switzerland on Sunday for a four-day state visit and the WEF annual meeting. About 50 heads of state and 1,700 political, business, academic and media leaders from across the world attended the opening ceremony.(Xinhua)