Int'l business leaders debate pressing global issues at B20 Summit in Johannesburg

Global business leaders aired their views on the pressing challenges facing the international business community at the Business 20 (B20) summit which wrapped up in South Africa's Johannesburg on Thursday, with discussions centering on how to build a more equitable, sustainable and resilient system of global economic governance.

Held shortly before this weekend's 20th Group of 20 (G20) Summit which will see world leaders and heads of governments converge on Johannesburg, the three-day B20 meeting brought together hundreds of business delegates under the theme "Inclusive Growth and Shared Prosperity through Global Cooperation."

During the summit, participants debated key issues including how to foster inclusive growth, enhance cross-border cooperation, improve the global investment environment, and achieve sustainable development.

Chinese attendees expressed the hope that the outcomes of the B20 will help enhance global trade and economic cooperation and inject greater certainty into the world economy.

"Nowadays, global economic uncertainties are rising, making multilateral cooperation all the more essential. The B20 should promote unimpeded trade, stable supply chains, and stronger collaboration between the public sector and businesses, so we can jointly reinforce confidence in global growth. We believe that upholding openness and cooperation are the key pathways which can drive the global economic recovery," said Tang Yingchu, Chinese business representative .

"In a world where uncertainties are intensifying, how to find certainty has become a shared topic of discussion among business leaders from around the world," said Lu Ping, another Chinese representative.

Established in 2010, the B20 is one of the most influential engagement groups under the G20 and provides a platform for companies and business organizations to discuss the most pressing global economic and trade issues, ensuring that the voice of the business community is heard at the highest levels of international economic governance.

The 20th G20 Summit will be held in Johannesburg from Saturday to Sunday, becoming the first ever to be held on African soil.

Int'l business leaders debate pressing global issues at B20 Summit in Johannesburg

Heavy rains prompted several regions across China to activate emergency responses on Sunday, with warnings of possible disasters caused by days of intense rains in some areas.

The meteorological service of Nanning City, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, issued an orange lightning warning on Sunday morning.

It warned that most urban areas of Nanning will be affected by thunderstorm and some parts of the city will see heavy precipitation and strong winds.

The lightning warning was followed by another yellow warning for rainstorm, with most parts of Nanning to see heavy rains of 20 to 40 millimeters.

In some areas, precipitation will exceed 50 millimeters and will also be accompanied by thunder and gusty winds.

The central province of Hubei activated a Level III emergency response for major meteorological disasters on Sunday morning.

Local meteorological service estimated that from Sunday night to Tuesday, the province will see heavy to torrential rains and some regions will experience downpours accompanied by severe convective weather.

Local authorities said the public should stay alert to secondary disasters triggered by persistent heavy rains.

Rains hit north China's Tianjin Municipality on Saturday night.

The rainfall intensified significantly on Sunday morning and the rainy weather is projected to last until Monday.

Heavy rains prompt emergency responses in several regions