Fortune forum attracts leading executives from around the world

China will maintain stable and healthy economic growth and accelerate opening-up to solve problems that hinder development, Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli said on Thursday.

"We welcome global leading enterprises investing in China. We will strengthen protection for investors' legal rights and improve services for foreign business," the vice-premier said at the opening ceremony of the Fortune Global Forum in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

Zhang described the country's economic growth as "stable". He pledged to keep the proactive fiscal policy and prudent monetary policy, control inflation and prevent unemployment from rising.

This was the fourth time that China has hosted the Fortune Global Forum. Executives from top companies around the world gathered in Chengdu for the three-day event that started on Thursday to share opinions on new trends in the world's largest developing economy.

China is determined to prevent the fast expansion of high-polluting and high-energy consuming businesses, and to focus more on environmental protection and effective growth, Zhang said.

Alex Gorsky, CEO of Johnson & Johnson, the global pharmaceutical and healthcare products company, said at the forum: "I am a strong believer in China for the long term."

"I believe there are significant opportunities here in China, not only because China drives toward a service or consumer-based economy, but also for China's impact on other economies around the world," Gorsky said.

The world's second-largest economy will chase opportunities to export more high-quality and well-designed goods and services, he added.