Global investors express confidence in China's economic prospects

Global investors gathered in the eastern Chinese city of Xiamen on Sunday for the 24th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT), expressing strong confidence in the country's economic prospects amid growing investment opportunities.

Covering around 120,000 square meters, the four-day CIFIT event draws participants from 119 countries and regions, of which about 80 percent are Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) partner countries.

At the "Night of Gulangyu," a special CIFIT event held on Gulangyu Island, international guests met to explore new investment opportunities.

Xing Ziqiang, the chief economist of Morgan Stanley China, expressed confidence in China's sustained economic growth, describing the world's second largest economy as a global competitiveness hub.

"I believe that the goal of the CIFIT is to help foreign companies realize that China will remain its role in the future. Those who can root themselves in China's industrial chains and leverage the advantages of China's industrial chain to serve the whole world will maintain a global competitive edge over the next decade," Xing said.

"China is the world's largest market. We came here because we know China strongly supports our African nations, and we hope to see more Chinese investments in Egypt," said Karim Badawy (transliteration), vice president of ElSewedy Industrial Development based in Egypt.

"Many provinces, they already took actions to open up for business and to be very transparent and very adaptable with the new trends of doing business in China, which will attract more investment and more business in China," said Walid A. Farghal, director general of the UAE's Annual Investment Meeting.

Soren Bindesboll, consul general of Denmark in Guangzhou City, said that China's investment landscape has reached a new level after decades of opening-up, with future investment likely to be more advanced and strategic.

"For future investment, the pace will be different from when the companies were coming here in the previous decades. As China was opening up during the last 40 years, a lot of things have happened to bring it to the next level," said Bindesboll.

This year's CIFIT highlights the digital economy, new energy and green innovation. It is expected to serve as a platform for more than 80 investment events and roadshow activities.

Global investors express confidence in China's economic prospects

Iran is willing to keep strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing cooperation with China, President Masoud Pezeshkian told reporters on Monday in the capital Tehran.

Pezeshkian made the remarks during his first news conference since taking office in late July.

Iran was admitted to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as a member state in 2023 and has achieved full membership in the BRICS group from January 1, 2024.

When asked how he views the prospect of China-Iran relations, Pezeshkian hailed China's successful mediation that led to the reconciliation between Iran and Saudi Arabia while eying deeper bilateral cooperation with China.

"Iran has always maintained good relations with China. Chinese mediation to resolve Iran-Saudi disputes marks a big step towards regional harmony. Iran is a comprehensive strategic partner of China. We will work to strengthen [bilateral relations] and implement relevant agreements. We hope to advance that cooperation," he said.

When it comes to tensions in the Middle East, Pezeshkian accused Israel of trying to drag Iran into the conflict and undermining regional peace by assassinating former Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Iran has remained restrained but reserves the right to self-defense under specific conditions, he stressed.

The Iranian president also condemned Israel for committing war crimes and genocide against Palestinians, urging the international community to condemn and stop these actions.

On relations with the United States, Pezeshkian noted that Iran seeks peace instead of war, and has no plans to develop nuclear weapons. However, the United States has torn up the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and imposed comprehensive sanctions against Iran.

The improvement of U.S.-Iran relations depends on whether the United States will remove its hostility towards Iran and lift the sanctions, he said.

He called on countries in the region to strengthen solidarity, bridge differences, and stop the crimes committed by Israel. Iran stands ready to continue enhancing cooperation with friendly countries such as China within the framework of multilateralism to achieve win-win results, said Pezeshkian.

Iran stands ready to strengthen bilateral ties with China: president