April17,2018:Exhibitionofhomeappliancesatthe123rdChinaImportandExportFair(CantonFair).Thefairfeaturedmorethan60,000exhibitionboothsandattractedover25,000companiesfromhomeandabroadtoshowcasetheirproductsandservices.VCG“Anopentradingsystemiskeytoglobalprosperity,”remarkedKentCalder,directoroftheEdwinO.ReischauerCenterforEastAsianStudiesatJohnsHopkinsUniversity,attheannualconferenceoftheBoaoForumforAsia(BFA)onApril8,2018.
CurrenttensionsinChina-U.S.tradehavecreatedgreaterrisktotheworldeconomythanJapan-U.S.tradeconflictsinthe1990sbecauseofthewidertradeimbalanceandstrongerinterdependencybetweenthetwoeconomies,Caldernoted.
Heexpressedanticipationthatthetwocountrieswouldconductintensivenegotiationsinthecomingmonths,addingthatbothChinaandtheU.S.couldchangeandmodifytheirpolicies.
“Nocitizeninanycountrywouldwantatradewar,norwouldthemultinationalcorporations,”saidCalder.“AnopentradingsystemisimportantforbothChinaandtheU.S.,theworld’stwolargesttraders.”
Amidtensionsandrisksfacingtheworldeconomy,globaltradeandfinancialsystemsneedastabilizer.“Everysystemneedsastabilizer,”Calderstressed.“China’sroleasapotentialstabilizerintheglobalsystemisveryimportant.”
CaldernotedthatChina,afirmsupporteroffreetradeandinvestment,hasbeenfacilitatinginternationaltradeandinvestmentwithitsopening-uppolicies,standingagainstprotectionisminanyform.“Chinaissteppingintotheroleofastabilizer,”Caldersaid.“Itissignificantintermsofprotectingthefabricofanopentradingsystem.”
Thisyear’sBFAannualconferencewasthemed“AnOpenandInnovativeAsiaforaWorldofGreaterProsperity.”Duringthefour-dayconferencethatendedonApril11,innovation,likeopenness,wasatthecenterofdiscussionsbyover2,000guestsfrom63countriesandregionsincludingpoliticalleaders,businesstitansandacademics.
CalderremarkedthattechnologicalinnovationiscriticalforalleconomiesasitisforAsianeconomies,andmultilateralcooperationshouldbepromotedtoadvancetechnologicalinnovation.Headdedthatthosewhoseizetheopportunitytoinnovatewillincreasetheirglobalcompetitiveness.
OnApril10,ChinesePresidentXiJinpingdeliveredakeynotespeechattheopeningceremonyoftheBFAannualconference,whichCalderattended.XicalledforpeoplearoundtheworldtoworktogethertobuildacommunitywithasharedfutureformankindandmakeAsiaandtheworldpeaceful,tranquil,prosperous,openandbeautiful.
PresidentXiisagloballeaderwhocaresnotjustforthefutureofChinabutforthewholeworld,saidCalder.Accordingtohim,theconceptofacommunitywithasharedfutureformankinddemonstratesChinesewisdominaddressingglobalchallenges.April8,2018:KentCalder,directoroftheEdwinO.ReischauerCenterforEastAsianStudiesatJohnsHopkinsUniversity,meetsthepressattheannualconferenceoftheBoaoForumforAsia(BFA)inBoao,southernChina’sHainanProvince.byChenYe