China's opening up to consistently provide opportunities to world: spokesman

China

China's opening up to consistently provide opportunities to world: spokesman

2025-05-16 16:19 Last Updated At：23:17

China has maintained a high level of openness to the world and remains committed to advancing mutually beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian at a press briefing in Beijing on Friday.

The United Nations on Thursday released the World Economic Situation and Prospects 2025, warning that rising tariffs and continued trade policy uncertainty are likely to undermine global economic prospects, posing significant challenges for the international community —particularly for developing economies.

According to the report, global economic growth is now projected to slow to 2.4 percent in 2025, down from 2.9 percent in 2024 and 0.4 percentage points lower than the forecast made in January. The report emphasizes that policy coordination and international cooperation are especially crucial for stabilizing the global economy and advancing sustainable development.

"At present, multilateralism and free trade are facing serious challenges. Facts have repeatedly shown that economic globalization is a historical trend, openness and cooperation are the prevailing trend of our times, and multilateralism is an inevitable choice. In the current context, all countries should uphold the multilateral trading system and international economic and trade rules, maintain an open and cooperative international environment, and work toward sustained development and shared prosperity.The more risks the global economy faces, the more it needs to confront challenges with openness and resolve differences through cooperation," Lin said.

"China has always upheld a high level of openness to the world, with a policy environment that is transparent, stable, and predictable. We are committed to fostering a world-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized for businesses from around the globe. We aim to turn our vast market into one shared by the world and to promote mutually beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. An open China will continue to bring opportunities to the world," he said.

Protesters rally in Italy, Greece against U.S. military operation in Venezuela

Thousands of demonstrators rallied in Italy and Greece on Saturday to protest against U.S. military intervention in Venezuela, with protesters in Rome, Milan and Athens condemning Washington's actions and calling for respect for Venezuelan sovereignty.

In Rome, more than 1,000 demonstrators marched toward the area near the U.S. Embassy, calling on Washington to immediately release Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.

Police blocked roads around the embassy to prevent protesters from approaching the building, but demonstrators continued to denounce U.S. actions.

"First of all, we oppose U.S. imperialist aggression. This kind of behavior is shameful. The U.S. is attacking a sovereign country, and as [U.S. President Donald] Trump himself has said, this is for oil interests," said protester Giovanni Barbera.

Saturday's rally marked the second large-scale protest in Rome this month against U.S. military operations in Venezuela, following an earlier one on on Jan 3.

Participants included members of multiple political parties, labor unions and social organizations. The protesters held banners reading "Stop imperialist interference" and "Free Maduro," urging the international community to respect Venezuela's sovereignty and the will of its people, and condemning the U.S. for violating international law.

"We are protesting the way the U.S. handles international politics. Since the events of January 3, we have seen violations of international law, and we are very concerned about how the global situation is developing," said protester Stefano De Angelis.

Organizers said solidarity rallies in support of Venezuela were held in 30 Italian cities on the same day.

Meanwhile, similar protests were also staged in Greece. About 200 people gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Athens, voicing support for Venezuela and opposition to U.S. military actions.

"We oppose U.S. imperialism and its attack on Venezuela. At the same time, the U.S. is also threatening Cuba, Mexico and Greenland. We must stand up against this behavior," said Greek protester Argiro Sirmakezi.