China praises PM Modi for opposing trade protectionism

Beijing, January 25: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2018 has got an unexpected admirer. China says that PM Modi's opposition to protectionism demonstrates that economic globalization is the trend of the times and serves the interests of all countries, especially the developing countries. 

Chinese spokesperson Hua Hua Chunying linked PM Modi's stance with Chinese President Xi Jinping's speech at the opening session of the World Economic Forum a year ago, voicing China's proposal to make economic globalization more open, inclusive, balanced and win-win and advocating an open world economy.

While addressing the WEF annual summit in Davos Modi talked about grave concerns facing the world, including terrorism and climate change. “Many countries are becoming inward focused and globalization is shrinking and such tendencies can’t be considered lesser risk than terrorism or climate change,” he had said. 

When asked will common agenda of opposition to protectionism be used to enhance bilateral relations between the two countries, the Chinese Spokesperson commented that PM Modi's speech actually reflects the fact that economic globalization is the trend of the times which serves the interests of all countries, especially the developing countries. On the fronts of opposing trade protectionism and advancing economic globalization, China and India share common grounds and common interests.

Hua further said that China would like to enhance communication and coordination with India and other countries in actively adapting to and steering economic globalization so that it becomes a positive force for the economic growth and the welfare of all countries.