Employees work at a company producing solar modules in Dongying, east China's Shandong Province, Feb. 24, 2023. (Photo by Liu Yunjie/Xinhua)
RIYADH, March 3 (Xinhua) -- China serves as a strong driving force for the growth of the global economy and an important contributor to supply chain stability, a Saudi Arabian businessman has said.
The COVID-19 pandemic had disrupted supply chains in many countries, but China's proper response to the pandemic allowed its supply chains to run in an orderly manner, said Mohammed Al Ajlan, chairman of the Saudi Chinese Business Council in a recent interview with Xinhua.
China, through maintaining its supply to the world, contributed to the continuous availability of products in the market, said the Saudi entrepreneur, who is also deputy chairman of Ajlan & Bros Holding Group.
A staff member works at a workshop in an engineering machinery company in Xintian County of Yongzhou City, central China's Hunan Province, Feb. 13, 2023. (Photo by Liu Guixiong/Xinhua)
This reflects the willpower of the Chinese people and the management capabilities of the Chinese government, he said.
The optimization of China's COVID-19 pandemic response benefits both China and the rest of the world, and it will have positive effects on the global economy, said Al Ajlan.
In an update to its World Economic Outlook report, the International Monetary Fund revised its projection of Chinese growth in 2023 up to 5.2 percent, a 0.8-percentage-point rise from the 2022 forecast.
With its large population, and enormous industrial and economic potential, China provides strong motivation for the growth of the global economy and the continuity of supply chains, he said.
A signing ceremony of cooperation agreements is held during an event promoting China's Hainan free trade port in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Feb. 17, 2023. (Xinhua/Xu Qin)
As an attractive country for investment, China supports foreign investment and offers incentives to overseas companies, he said, adding that Chinese corporations also go abroad for business opportunities.
"We aspire to receive greater support and help from Chinese companies, and to serve the industry and the exports," said the business insider.
The veteran businessman believed that cooperation between major and emerging economies is the best approach to the growth and prosperity of the global economy. ■
