Chinese Premier Li Qiang has taken Beijing’s push for multilateralism to the Group of 20 summit in South Africa, calling for solidarity and free trade at an event boycotted by the world’s biggest economy.
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Addressing the gathering of leaders in Johannesburg on Saturday, Li pointed to challenges faced by various international institutions.
“We have to advance with time and take the lead to uphold multilateralism” in the face of difficulties of governance, he said, according to state news agency Xinhua.
Without referring directly to the United States, Li said diverging interests among the various parties and shortcomings in some global cooperation mechanisms were major obstacles to international unity.
“In the face of a weak global economic recovery, we must work together in solidarity, firmly uphold free trade and build an open world economy,” Li said.
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“When confronted with differences and conflicts, we should seek common ground while respecting differences, and actively identify the greatest shared interests.
“And [we should] resolve disputes and frictions through equal consultation, promoting solutions to each party’s legitimate concerns.”