China's opening-up to bring more opportunities to foreign firms: foreign ministry
Xinhua
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Aerial photo taken on Oct. 28, 2019 shows a night view of the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), the venue of the second China International Import Expo (CIIE), in east China's Shanghai. (File photo: Xinhua)

BEIJING, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- Foreign companies investing in China will enjoy more cooperation opportunities and development dividends along with the country's further opening-up, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said Tuesday.

According to media reports, Joerg Wuttke, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, said that Europe has to get out of complacency and try to learn from China. Wuttke added that it is important for companies to participate in the Chinese market as the Chinese economy contributes 30 percent of global growth every year.

Zhao said recent statements made by the European and American business communities on economic and trade cooperation with China represented an optimistic view of China's development prospects and the willingness to maintain and strengthen cooperation with China.

As a large developing country with 1.4 billion people, including a 900 million workforce, and 120 million market players, China has always been an important engine for the recovery of the world economy and a popular destination for companies from all over the world to invest and start businesses, Zhao said.

He cited the latest survey by the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China as saying that 62 percent of EU companies in China are willing to increase their investment. A report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development also showed that the global foreign direct investment (FDI) flows to China had risen by 4 percent in 2020, making the country the world's largest FDI recipient.

"These figures once again proved the recognition of the international community to China's investment and business environment," Zhao said.

China will see an even closer economic tie with the rest of the world as it is entering a new stage of development, and the completion of the China-EU investment agreement negotiations will also provide more opportunities and create new space for Europe and other parts of the world to cooperate with China, said Zhao.