China’s Premier Li Qiang Urges World Leaders Not to Politicize Global Trade

TIANJIN, China — At the opening plenary of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in China, also known as Summer Davos, Chinese Premier Li Qiang urged countries around the world to resist turning trade into a political or security issue, amid rising global protectionism and geopolitical tensions.

Globalization "Cannot Be Reversed", Li Says

In a keynote address on Wednesday, Li emphasized that globalization is here to stay, despite mounting tariffs and barriers.

“Globalization will not be reversed,” he said via official English translation. “We should not turn trade into a political or security issue.”

Li underscored that participating in the global economy is a means of "reshaping rules and order”, and called on countries to stay on the right path of openness and cooperation.

Though he avoided commenting directly on U.S.-China trade tensions or Middle East conflicts, his remarks hinted at China’s growing concern over rising unilateralism and decoupling efforts.

China Confident in Its Economic Momentum

Premier Li projected a positive outlook for China’s economy, pledging further steps to make China both a manufacturing powerhouse and a mega-consumption market.

“China will adopt more measures to stimulate domestic demand,” Li said, as he sought to reassure global investors and trading partners.

Louise Loo, Lead Economist for China at Oxford Economics, said Li appeared “confident in the organic growth momentum within China.”

“Despite tariff pressures, China’s integration into global supply chains is deep, and near-term decoupling remains unlikely,” she told CNBC.

This competitiveness in exports, she noted, is expected to continue supporting China’s economic growth in 2025 and beyond.

A Call for Multilateralism and Eastern Wisdom

Li also highlighted recent diplomatic efforts to promote peaceful dispute resolution, pointing to the signing of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation by more than 30 countries in Hong Kong last month.

He praised the agreement as a demonstration of “Eastern wisdom” in resolving global conflicts.

Adam Tooze, Professor of History at Columbia University, found Li’s emphasis on “reshaping the rules and order” particularly noteworthy:

“What we’re seeing is a pluralization of global governance—not just about who sets the rules, but how the processes are shaped.”

Global Leaders Gather at Summer Davos 2025

The 2025 Summer Davos brought together key global figures including:

Lawrence Wong, Prime Minister of Singapore

Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister of Vietnam

Daniel Noboa Azín, President of Ecuador

From the business world, attendees included JD.com Founder Liu Qiangdong and TCL Chairman Li Dongsheng.

According to Chinese state media, Li Qiang has met in recent days with leaders from Singapore, Vietnam, New Zealand, Ecuador, and Kyrgyzstan, reflecting China’s focus on strengthening regional and global cooperation.

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