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Wen: Forum should serve 'both rich and poor'

By Li Xiaokun (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-09-11 11:03

Premier Wen Jiabao yesterday called on the World Economic Forum (WEF) to give more consideration to developing countries and turn the important global business meeting into one for "both the rich and the poor".

Premier Wen Jiabao and WEF Executive Chairman Claus Schwab meet with business leaders on the opening day of the Summer Davos forum. [China Daily/Wu Zhiyi]

"I hope all developed countries do not forget the poor ones when dealing with the financial crisis. I just told WEF Executive Chairman Claus Schwab that I hope Davos will have a new reputation in the future - that it's the Davos for both the rich and the poor," he told world commerce leaders at the forum.

His remarks came in response to an entrepreneur who asked about Western misunderstanding of China's close relations with Africa.

Some countries and media have long accused Beijing of eyeing Africa's rich natural resources when aiding counties on the continent.

"From your question I learn misunderstanding really exists," said the premier.

"China's relations with Africa did not start just from nowwe helped Africa to build railroads even in our most difficult times," he said, adding that China began aiding the newly independent continent in the 1960s.

Special coverage:  Summer Davos 2009

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And "African brothers carried China on their shoulders into the United Nations", he said.

"There is an ancient Chinese saying - 'forget what I do for others and remember what others do for me'. China's soft power is based on equality, mutual respect and interests and exerting all our efforts to help others when it's within our capability."

In addition to its economic role, the WEF is carrying more and more diplomatic significance as many high-level officials from around the world attend.

Schwab called the Wen the "father of Summer Davos", noting he was first person to raise the idea of holding a summer forum of the renowned conference in China.

Wen met six state and government leaders yesterday, including Latvian President Valdis Zatlers, Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, Singapore Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and the vice-prime ministers of Ukraine, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.

"This is the third time we have had a summer Davos forum in China, and as far as I can recall, you have come to every one," Wen said to Goh Chok Tong.

Summer Davos, launched in 2007, has been held in Dalian and Tianjin and returned to Dalian this year.

"We have actually reached agreement on many big things in our bilateral relationship (at the forum)," Wen said.

"The real significance of Davos, in my view, is in the networking in meeting people, more than in the discussion of important problems," said the Singaporean senior minister.

Agreements reached between Wen and leaders include:

China and Latvia will strengthen cooperation in fields including transportation. Latvia would like to contribute to Beijing's relations with Europe.

China respects the path of development chosen by the Macedonian people. Macedonia welcomes Chinese companies to invest in energy, tourism and infrastructure construction.

Singapore would like to discuss post-crisis cooperation with China and hopes to push forward cooperative projects such as the Suzhou industrial park and Tianjin eco-city as well as seek new styles of cooperation.

China and Ukraine agreed to enhance cooperation in fields including aviation, trade and agriculture.

According to the coordination office of the Dalian Summer Davos, 24 ministers from various countries also attended the forum.