Chinese premier meets with IMF chief via video link

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang meets with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva via video link in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 3, 2021. [Photo by Liu Weibing/Xinhua]

BEIJING, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva in Beijing via video link on Friday and pledged to maintain the robust, sustainable, balanced and inclusive development of the world economy.

China attaches great importance to its relationship with the IMF, and the two sides have maintained good cooperation, Li said. "China is willing to continue to deepen bilateral cooperation on issues such as debt and climate change, and strive to achieve more positive progress."

Li said it is hoped that the IMF will continue to work on advancing quota and governance reforms and play a greater role in helping developing countries cope with the pandemic and promote global economic recovery.

Briefing Georgieva on China's economic situation, Li said that in the face of a complex environment and new downward pressure, China will continue to coordinate pandemic prevention and control with economic and social development, implement stable macro policies, and strengthen pertinence and effectiveness.

Li said China will continue to implement a prudent monetary policy, formulate policies based on the needs of market players, use a variety of currency tools, cut the reserve requirement ratio in due course, and increase support for the real economy -- particularly for small, medium and micro enterprises.

"China is willing to shoulder its due responsibilities as a major developing country and maintain the robust, sustainable, balanced and inclusive development of the world economy," Li said.

Georgieva said she highly appreciated the various measures China has taken to promote economic recovery. She said the COVID-19 pandemic is currently the largest threat facing the world economy, noting the challenges to global economic recovery posed by inflation and debt problems.

The IMF is willing to further strengthen exchanges and cooperation with China to promote the balanced recovery and sustainable development of the world economy, Georgieva said.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang meets with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva via video link in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 3, 2021. [Photo by Shen Hong/Xinhua]