Dalian forum to champion innovation

China stands ready to work with representatives attending the Summer Davos forum to champion openness and inclusiveness, pursue mutual benefit, and advance dialogue and cooperation to contribute to global economic growth, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Monday.

Speaking at a regular news briefing in Beijing, the ministry's spokesman Guo Jiakun announced that Premier Li Qiang will attend this year's forum in Dalian, Liaoning province, on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Li will attend the opening plenary and deliver a special address, meet with foreign dignitaries and have a conversation with representatives of the business community, Guo said.

According to the spokesman, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Guinean Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah, Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, Republic of Korea Prime Minister Kim Minseok, Mongolian Prime Minister Nyam-Osor Uchral and Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajic will also attend the meeting.

The Summer Davos forum, formally known as the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions, is held in China annually, alternating between Tianjin and Dalian, with a focus on innovation, emerging technologies and the future of business.

This year's meeting, which runs through Thursday under the theme "Innovating at Scale", takes place as the International Monetary Fund downgraded its global growth forecast to 3.1 percent in 2026 from 3.4 percent in 2025, driven by escalating geopolitical risks.

"The Summer Davos forum is an important platform for enhancing exchanges between China and the rest of the world and advancing practical cooperation," said Guo, the Foreign Ministry's spokesman.

He noted that the international landscape is marked by growing turbulence and change, while instability and uncertainty are increasing in the global economy.

Against this backdrop, the gathering of more than 1,700 participants from government, business, academia and the media from over 90 countries and regions reflects the international community's shared desire to address challenges together and promote common development, Guo said.

According to the WEF, participants will examine some of the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing a rapidly transforming world economy, with discussions centering on growth, technology, jobs, energy and the future of the global economy.

The meeting will also spotlight Asia's innovation ecosystem, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors and policymakers, while incorporating Chinese and broader Asian perspectives into discussions on global growth and innovation.

"At a time of economic uncertainty, geopolitical tension and rapid technological change, this meeting is an opportunity to focus on practical solutions," said Alois Zwinggi, president and chief executive officer of the WEF.

Gao Weiqi, deputy director-general of the Department of International Cooperation at the National Development and Reform Commission, noted that China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), which sets out comprehensive goals for high-quality development, will give fresh impetus to the global economy.

"We hope this meeting will showcase the achievements of China's high-quality economic development, convey China's firm commitment to openness and cooperation, and share the vast opportunities created by Chinese modernization," Gao told a news conference last week.