Speaking in Davos, China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng presented Beijing as a steadying force for globalisation, multilateralism and cooperation at a time of rising protectionism and geopolitical friction. He framed his remarks as a continuation of President Xi Jinping’s long-running appeals for global dialogue and collective action, invoking past Davos and UN interventions to underline Beijing’s consistency on these themes.
He used the platform to argue that trade wars and tariff measures fragment the world economy, raise costs and produce no winners, citing WTO and IMF findings to warn of an economic hit from fragmentation. He contrasted this diagnosis with China’s embrace of “inclusive” globalization, promising to expand imports, open services sectors, level the playing field for foreign firms and convert companies’ needs into government service lists.
The speech enumerated Beijing’s recent economic credentials: roughly 5.4% average yearly growth over five years, an economy of about RMB 140 trillion, a roughly 30% contribution to global growth, more than $15 trillion in cumulative imports of goods and services over five years and some $300 billion in tax revenue paid to host countries by Chinese overseas investment. He presented these figures as evidence that China’s development is a global opportunity, not a threat.
On rules and institutions, He voiced firm support for the WTO and other multilateral bodies while urging reforms to make them more authoritative, effective and representative of the Global South. He reiterated Beijing’s recent pledge not to seek new special and differential treatment at the WTO and called for trade agreements to conform to WTO rules and avoid harming third parties.
He also addressed bilateral tensions, highlighting recent rounds of China–U.S. economic consultations and official-level engagement following high-level diplomatic contacts. He insisted that respectful, equal-footed negotiation can resolve disputes and keep bilateral trade relations stable, repeating the long-stated line that cooperation benefits both sides while confrontation wounds both.
Beyond trade, He set out priorities Beijing intends to share internationally: deeper technology cooperation, expanded green transition partnerships and a push to harness China’s large domestic market as demand-led support for global producers. He touted China’s R&D scale, patent output and renewable energy infrastructure while reaffirming climate goals — a peak in CO2 emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060 — and said China would implement dual controls on emissions volume and intensity.
The speech was as much diplomatic positioning as economic policy. Coming amid fears of supply-chain fragmentation, tighter export controls and geopolitical rivalry over technology, Beijing used Davos to reassure foreign business, deflect accusations of protectionism and press for multilateral fixes. The tone was conciliatory but assertive: openness in exchange for rules-based treatment and fewer ‘security’-driven trade restrictions.
For an international audience, the address clarifies Beijing’s near-term commercial priorities: bigger imports, more market access in services, improved treatment of foreign investors and continued outward investment — conditioned on host-country reciprocity. Yet it also signals that China expects the global system to adapt: more say for developing countries, qualified reform of multilateral institutions and adherence by others to rule-based trade rather than unilateral measures.
If Beijing follows through, global markets and multilateral institutions could gain some relief from fragmentation pressures; if not, declarations will amount to little against the realpolitik of trade restrictions, export controls and investment screening. Policymakers and business leaders should read He’s speech as both an invitation and a test: an invitation to engage with a vast, still-growing market and a test of whether trading partners will reciprocate with stable, rule-bound access rather than securitised barriers.