BEIJING — China will continue to promote its reform and opening-up drive, and improve investment environment for foreign companies, Premier Li Keqiang said on March 26.

Premier Li made the remarks when meeting with a group of chief executives of Fortune 500 companies and renowned scholars, who had participated the China Development Forum (CDF) from March 24 to March 26 in Beijing.

Premier Li said China’s commitment to further reform and opening-up accords with its own interest, and is conducive to maintaining free trade and the healthy development of globalization.

China will open its door wider to the outside world, and is willing to learn the advanced technology and management experience from foreign countries, promote cooperation in production, knowledge, technology and service, and optimize its business environment for foreign companies, he said.

Talking about trade relations between China and the United States, which are mutually beneficial in nature, Premier Li said the current trade volume between the two countries is achieved thanks to market demand and business rules.

“There is no winner in a trade war,” the Premier said, calling for a rational and earnest attitude when addressing the problem of China-US trade imbalance.

Premier Li urged the international community to jointly safeguard the multilateral trading system with free trade as its corner stone, and clearly oppose protectionism and unilateralism.

Responding to questions related to the “Made in China 2025” action plan, Premier Li said domestic and foreign companies will be treated equally, and foreign companies will not be forced to have their technologies transferred into China.

China will strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights, he added.

The CDF, organized by the Development Research Center of the State Council, is a high-level meeting that gathers leaders from international institutions, academia and companies worldwide.

Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with foreign delegates attending the China Development Forum (CDF) 2018 in Beijing, capital of China, March 26, 2018.[Photo/Xinhua]