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Sylvie Zhuang

Chinese Premier Li Qiang has taken Beijing’s push for multilateralism to the Group of 20 summit in South Africa, calling for solidarity and free trade at an event boycotted by the world’s biggest economy.
Addressing the gathering of leaders in Johannesburg on Saturday, Li pointed to challenges faced by various international institutions.
“We have to advance with time and take the lead to uphold multilateralism” in the face of difficulties of governance, he said, according to state news agency Xinhua.
Without referring directly to the United States, Li said diverging interests among the various parties and shortcomings in some global cooperation mechanisms were major obstacles to international unity.
“In the face of a weak global economic recovery, we must work together in solidarity, firmly uphold free trade and build an open world economy,” Li said.
“When confronted with differences and conflicts, we should seek common ground while respecting differences, and actively identify the greatest shared interests.
“And [we should] resolve disputes and frictions through equal consultation, promoting solutions to each party’s legitimate concerns.”


It is the first time the US has failed to send a delegation to the annual meeting of leaders from 19 major economies as well as the European Union.
Announcing its boycott earlier this month, US President Donald Trump accused South Africa of persecuting Afrikaner farmers in what he called a “white genocide”. The claim has been strongly denied by the South African government.
Washington has also accused South Africa of engaging in unfair trade practices and pursuing foreign policies deemed detrimental to American interests, such as its alignment with China and Russia and its strong stand on Palestine.
Even though the US was not represented in Johannesburg, its presence was felt, with various participating countries, including China, locked in disputes with Washington over trade tariffs.
Beijing is also engaged in a war of words with Japan, another G20 member, over Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks this month about the Taiwan Strait, and is tussling with the EU on trade.
In his speech to the summit, Li said the world needed to build a fairer and more open international trade and economic order, calling for reform of the major Western-led international organisations.
To achieve this, Li said, developing countries must have a greater voice in these institutions.
Over the past decade, Beijing has tried to position itself as a leader for the Global South and built its answer to Western-led international organisations with bodies such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in Beijing and the International Organisation for Mediation in Hong Kong.


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China

Diplomacy

Chinese Premier Li Qiang urges reform of major Western-led international organisations, says developing countries must have a greater voice


Chinese Premier Li Qiang urges reform of major Western-led international organisations, says developing countries must have a greater voice.


At G20, China pushes multilateralism, solidarity and free trade as US boycotts summit

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Chinese Premier Li Qiang urges reform of major Western-led international organisations, says developing countries must have a greater voice

Chinese Premier Li Qiang urges reform of major Western-led international organisations, says developing countries must have a greater voice