With the Chinese New Year approaching, Premier Li Keqiang talked with some foreign experts working in China on Feb 5 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

On behalf of the government and the people, Premier Li extended spring festival greetings to them and their relatives, as well as to all foreigners making contribution to China’s development.

Representatives attending the symposium included Nobel Prize-winning professor of the London School of Economics and Political Science Christopher A. Pissarides; German industrial designer and professor of Hefei University Falk Hoehn; Canadian expert and vice-director of Geely Group R&D center Lin Zhongcheng; and Pulitzer Prize-winning US expert with China Daily John Lydon. They discussed such issues as strengthening China’s economic competitiveness, “Made in China 2025” and cultivation of talent, transformation of industries, spreading China’s voice, and renminbi exchange rate. Premier Li responded to all the topics and exchanged views on them.

Last year, the total volume of Chinese economy achieved medium to high growth despite sluggish world economy and domestic structural imbalance, said the Premier. New industries and new mode grew fast and developed toward domestic demand-driven, innovation-driven, service industry-driven and environmentally friendly. Though we face some difficulties and challenges, China’s new type of industrialization, informatization, urbanization and agricultural modernization will bring great development potential. This will also create driven force for the increase of world economy.

Premier Li said that China is promoting structural reform, carrying out innovation-driven development strategy, facilitating mass entrepreneurship and innovation. We will continue to streamline administration and delegate power, optimize services, stimulate market vitality and social creativity, thus to create an equal environment.

The Premier stressed that China’s opening-up strategy will not change. “We will import more talents, provide more international services and better protect intellectual property rights. Through gathering wisdom from the mass, Chinese economy will get rid of the dependence on natural resources to human resources and talents,” he said.

Premier Li expressed the hope that foreign experts in China and international friends can continue to make contributions to the economic development of China and the world in the Chinese New Year.

Vice-Premier Ma Kai and State Councilor Yang Jiechi also attended the event.