Foreign firms see growth potential in China

A1 The goal of building a moderately prosperous society in a country with China's population could not have been achieved without the unity of the Chinese people and the right political policies: focusing on economic construction, vigorously developing production infrastructure, persisting in reform and opening-up.

The country's poverty alleviation plan has produced considerable results and it has made progress in its social undertakings thanks to its strategy of targeting new jobs, investment in emerging industries and access to healthcare and education. This has also been bolstered by its unwavering commitment to implementing a sustainable development strategy.

A2 ERG cherishes and values its relationship with China and the Chinese people. Through its integrated natural resources and infrastructure projects in Central Asia, Central Africa and Latin America, ERG is actively taking part in China's activities within the Belt and Road Initiative.

We have an extensive portfolio of commercial partnerships with China and multiple initiatives with the country's government, financial institutions and industry leaders. We look forward to deepening this cooperation in the new era. ERG is well-positioned to provide high-quality materials in the future, including key metals for EV batteries to help China achieve its economic goals, while also bringing down carbon emissions.

A3 China will no doubt achieve its goal of building an even stronger and modern country by continuing to promote trade and investment liberalization, accelerating the development of trade innovation and advancing the Belt and Road Initiative, which is a game-changer in terms of global cooperation and economic recovery. The remarkable results of its poverty alleviation strategy are testament to China's ability to precisely identify the nation's socioeconomic requirements and use the resources at its disposal to fulfill them in a targeted manner to ensure sustainable development. As such, I am confident that China will see even further success.

A4 By the end of 2020, China generated 93.4 million kilowatts of renewable energy, up 17.5 percent year-on-year. President Xi Jinping has set a target for China to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, which we can expect will stimulate the already fast-growing NEV sector. As one of the largest sustainable cobalt producers in the world, ERG is supporting the development of NEVs while leading the socially responsible exploration of cobalt. As a major supplier of other key materials, such as aluminum, copper, high-carbon ferrochrome and iron ore products, we are also well-placed to support the country's plans to build new infrastructure.

A5 China's strong production base and operational environment, sound manufacturing industry chain and huge consumption potential have all naturally attracted considerable investor attention. The implementation of foreign investment laws and regulations as well as China's willingness to open its market wider and share development dividends with the rest of the world have also enhanced the confidence of foreign enterprises investing in China. These will be key in ensuring that the country remains attractive to foreign investment in the years to come. An additional priority is for China to maintain its well-managed regulatory environment, which makes the economy resilient and boosts its attractiveness to foreign companies and investors.