Premier Li Keqiang's presence at the World Economic Forum's 45th Annual Meeting will surely strengthen the international community's confidence in China's economic outlook, Wu Hailong, ambassador to the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland, told Xinhua News Agency in a recent interview.

In 2010, Li attended the annual meeting in Davos as vice-premier, his position at the time. Wu said the visit this week represents more than Li's second time at the gathering of global elites. It is one of the first major diplomatic activities of a Chinese leader in 2015.

The international community is paying close attention to China's development, including its economic prospects and growing global influence, the Chinese economy's "new normal" level of growth and the country's deepening of reforms, Wu said, adding that trends in Chinese foreign policy are also of great interest.

Meanwhile, people around the world are closely watching China's response to various global challenges, in particular its role in promoting international economic cooperation, he said.

Speaking of the theme of this year's forum - "The New Global Context" - Wu said that ongoing rapid changes in the world's political, economic, social and technological aspects have particular significance for China as the country moves ever closer to the rest of the world.

He said that while such changes have profound implications for China, the country's development will also have crucial influence on the global community.

(China Daily 01/20/2015 page3)