Xi proposes pandemic 'firewall,' free trade for world economic recovery

-- President Xi Jinping called on the G20 members to make concerted efforts in fighting "the most serious pandemic in a century."

-- Xi proposed that the G20 should ensure the smooth functioning of the global economy and restore the secure and smooth operation of global industrial and supply chains, reduce tariffs and barriers.

-- The G20 should level the playing field for high-tech companies from all countries, Xi said.

BEIJING - President Xi Jinping on Saturday proposed constructing a "global firewall" against COVID-19, reducing tariffs and barriers as well as tapping into the booming digital economy to battle the pandemic and reboot the flagging world economy.

Addressing the Group of 20 (G20) Riyadh Summit via video link, Xi said the group has once again played an "important and irreplaceable" role in the global war against the pandemic which has "impacted the world in a more profound way than the 2008 global financial crisis did."

"To contain the virus, stabilize the economy and protect livelihood remains a long and arduous journey for all countries," Xi said. "While containing the virus, we must also stabilize and restore economic growth."

His remarks came as humanity is grappling with growing uncertainties caused by the pandemic pullback, a global recession, as well as backlash to economic globalization.

The G20 groups the world's major economies whose combined GDP accounts for over 85 percent of the world's total.

They are widely expected to take more initiatives through closer cooperation to address the pandemic, and its lasting and far-reaching impact on the world economy.