Shared future seen as 'the only avenue'

International and Chinese observers have welcomed China's aim to further open its economy to foreign partners and work together with the global community to take on issues such as poverty and pollution, as spelled out by Liu He in Davos on Wednesday.

Liu, an economic adviser and a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, told the annual gathering of the World Economic Forum about President Xi Jinping's vision of a community with a shared future for mankind, pursuit of free trade and globalization and China's announcement of new reforms in 2018.

David Murathe, the vice-chairman of the Jubilee Party, Kenya's ruling political party, welcomed Liu's comments.

"President Xi Jinping's advocacy for a shared future of humankind reflects the strong opinion and expectations of Kenya and the continent at large," he said.

"Xi's message portrays the inevitable future of the world as it strives to meet the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations."

Murathe said the world should be less inward-looking in an era when technology has turned the world into a global village.

"Moreover, a shared future for humankind is the only avenue for fighting poverty and addressing challenges such as terrorism that stem from the perception of exclusion," said Murathe.

Luigi Gambardella, president of ChinaEU, a Brussels-based organization that promotes digital cooperation, said the world has become more integrated by technology, and new challenges loom.

"The challenges call for a visionary approach from governments rather than old-school solutions. And President Xi's call for the shared future of humankind reflects the urgency of the world," said Gambardella.

He also said the age of technology calls for China to open up its market potential in such areas as trade and research and development. "Undoubtedly, this will bring benefits not only to the Chinese but also to the whole world," he said.

Chi Fulin, president of the China Institute for Reform and Development, said Liu's speech reflected well on President Xi Jinping's thoughts on deepening globalization and building a community with a shared future for mankind.

"As others, I am also looking forward to seeing what reform package China will be delivering this year by marking the 40th anniversary of reform and opening-up," said Chi.

Chi expected that China will allow greater foreign access to its service industry, especially in the financial sector. "All the reform and opening-up measures will be designed to bring China even closer to the rest of the world."

Liu Qiangdong, CEO of JD.com, one of China's leading e-commerce platforms, said the theme of this year's World Economic Forum, "Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World", is a continuation of President Xi's speech in Davos last year.

He added that the world has seen rapid changes due to technological breakthroughs and economic transformation. "The current international rules and governance regime cannot reflect the changing reality of the world, and reform worldwide is urgent."