Forum participants confident about future of Chinese economy

SHEFFIELD -- Participants from across the world at a two-day forum here voiced their confidence in the future of China's economic development, saying that sound economic growth in China is conducive to global development.

The event, known as the 2017 Horasis China Meeting, kicked off on Sunday and ended on Monday.

It was aimed at further promoting win-win economic relations, stimulating innovation and providing business opportunities for corporations from China and the world, Frank-Jurgen Richter, founder and chairman of Horasis which organized the annual event, told Xinhua.

Currently, China enjoys a very good prospect of economic development as the country's new development concept is focusing on innovation, green development, and healthy advancement, Richter said.

China has become a new engine for global economic growth, he said, adding that the sound economic development in China will help promote economic growth in the world at large.

China has made remarkable achievements over the past 10 years as its economic aggregate has grown by 239 percent and the total value of imports and exports has risen by 73 percent, according to official figures.

During the period, China has become the world's second largest economy and the lives of its 1.3 billion-plus people have significantly improved.

China accounts for more than 30 percent of the world's economic growth annually since the 2008 financial crisis, official figures show.

Chairing the opening plenary of the forum, James Kynge, emerging markets editor of London-based Financial Times, said that West countries have to note the progress and changes in China's economic development, or they will lose their direction and even make wrong decisions in economic cooperation.

Adnan Akfirat, a Shanghai-based businessman from Turkey, said that the effective implementation of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative will play a great role in boosting the economic development in West Asia.

The Chinese initiative offered a new opportunity for further economic and trade cooperation between developing countries, thus conducive to promoting peace, stability and development in relevant regions, he said.

Present at the forum were about 300 businessmen, scholars and government officials from such countries as China, the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Russia, Saudi Arabia, India, Mozimbique and Haiti.

The forum, which was introduced in 2005, has become one of the foremost global business gathering on China.