Chinese President Xi Jinping offered a vigorous defense of globalization and free trade in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday, which underscored Beijing’s desire to play a greater global role as the United States turns inward.
Likening protectionism to “locking oneself in a dark room” to protect from danger, but at the same time depriving the room of “light and air”, he cautioned other countries against pursuing their own interests at the expense of others.
Xi did not mention Donald Trump in his speech of nearly an hour but many of the messages he sent seemed directed at the U.S. president-elect, who campaigned for the White House on pledges to protect U.S. industries from foreign competition and levy new tariffs on goods from China and Mexico.
Read More: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-davos-meeting-china-idUSKBN15118V
Source: Reuters (17 January 2017)