Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian Photo: fmprc.gov.cn

 China's sustainable and sound economic development has continuously made positive contributions to the world against the backdrop of the recurrent COVID-19 pandemic, which poses challenges to the world economic recovery, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Monday. The comments came after several business reports highlighted foreign companies' confidence in investing in the Chinese market. 

In 2021, China's GDP hit $17.7 trillion, accounting for over 18 percent of the global economy, and China is estimated to contribute roughly 25 percent of global economic growth.  

"China has always been committed to building an open world economy and building a market-oriented, legal and international business environment to provide a guarantee for all foreign companies investing in China," Zhao said. 

Zhao also gave the example of a World Bank report, which showed that China's business environment ranked 31st among 190 economies in 2020. In 2012, China's ranking was 91st, so the country's position has risen 60 places in just eight years. This, combined with the reports on foreign businesses' confidence, shows that China's measures in opening up and optimizing its business environment have achieved positive results and gained wide recognition, according to Zhao. 

Zhao said that China's determination to continue opening up won't change, and neither will its determination to share development opportunities. 

"Our doors will only be wider, and we will work more actively to integrate the global market, actively deepen cooperation to boost the world economic recovery and help inclusive, sustainable development," Zhao noted.

According to the Business Confidence Survey 2021/2022 issued by the German Chamber of Commerce in China and KPMG, about 60 percent of German firms in China have recorded positive business growth, and they remain confident in further Chinese market expansion.