Nation’s openness helping shape global future in World Economy News 20/03/2026 The world is experiencing one of the most critical junctures in its history, an international moment described by President Xi Jinping as witnessing “profound changes unseen in a century”. It is generally agreed that this is a transitional phase whose final contours are not yet clear, but it is fundamentally different from the international order that prevailed for decades after World War II. Currently, the world is experiencing major shifts in the international system. Amid all this, China’s commitment to “expanding high-standard opening-up” — as specified in the Government Work Report delivered by Premier Li Qiang on March 5 at the opening session of the annual meeting of the country’s top legislature — is extremely important and will help shape the future of the world. With protectionism on the rise, the global political order increasingly fragmented, and supply chains disrupted and restructured, China’s growig openness stands out as a powerful counterpoint. While some other major economies move toward isolationism — tightening markets, downsizing technology and embracing economic nationalism — China is choosing greater engagement with the world. China began its reform and opening-up in 1978, transforming from an agrarian economy into the world’s second-largest economy and a leading industrial power. This was not accidental. It was the result of a deliberate initiative focused on attracting foreign investment, transferring technology, boosting exports and joining global governance institutions. In doing so, China opened its markets and helped shape the rules of globalization, capturing the aspirations and attention of the developing world. China’s policy of high-standard opening-up is not about sweeping liberalization of all sectors, but rather about targeted and comprehensive systemic reforms and transformations. It seeks to achieve more than simply attracting more foreign investment. It establishes a clear and streamlined regulatory environment, aligns laws with international best practices, and stimulates structural change in finance, intellectual property, the digital economy and the green economy. It aims to build an economy that is not only open but also attractive, reliable and stable in a volatile world. This benefits the entire world. Numerous studies from international research institutions, such as the United States-based Brookings Institution and Council on Foreign Relations, and the British think tank Chatham House, argue that China’s opening-up to the global economy since the decades of reform have not only contributed to the rise of the Chinese economy, but also played a significant role in expanding international trade and reshaping global supply chains. These studies suggest that continued openness, particularly through economic cooperation and infrastructure initiatives, can strengthen global economic integration and provide developing countries with greater opportunities to integrate into the international economy and achieve development. One of the studies on China’s role in the global economy, by the Brookings Institution, explores how China’s trade and investment liberalization has reshaped global production chains and strengthened economic interdependence among international markets. Brookings researchers point out that China’s rise and integration into the global economy represent one of the most significant economic shifts in recen