Lead

Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Sunday pledged to further open the country's economy to foreign firms and pursue more balanced trade with its global partners, according to state media, as the world's second-largest economy works to ease trade tensions and attract foreign investment.

Speaking at the China Development Forum in Beijing, Li said China will import more high-quality foreign goods and work with all parties to promote optimised and balanced trade development and expand the global trade pie, as reported by Dawn.

The two-day forum, which concludes on Monday, provides Beijing with an opportunity to present its economic vision to foreign business leaders, Chinese officials, economists and academics. It comes after China reported a record $1.2 trillion trade surplus for 2025, a figure cited by Dawn.

Coverage comparison

The event drew CEOs from global companies such as Siemens, Nestlé and Apple, according to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), which framed China's message as a commitment to being a "harbour of stability" in a world marked by war and uncertainty. The SCMP report emphasised renewed global interest in China, while Dawn's coverage focused on Beijing's pledges to open the economy and address concerns about its trade practices.

Both sources covered the same core event, but with different angles: Dawn highlighted the challenges Beijing faces, including deflecting concerns from global capitals about trade practices and overcapacity, while SCMP stressed opportunities and positive indicators.

Key claims

Li Qiang's pledge to further open the economy and pursue balanced trade is reported by both sources, with Dawn providing specific detail on his promise to import more high-quality foreign goods and work with all parties to promote balanced trade and expand the global trade pie. This claim is attributed to state media by Dawn.

The record $1.2 trillion trade surplus for 2025 is carried by Dawn, which notes that Li's speech did not appear to directly mention the surplus, but his pledges indicated an awareness that the issue could disrupt international relations. Dawn also reports that US President Donald Trump last week postponed a trip to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping due to the Iran war, delaying an effort to ease tensions between the world's two largest economies.

China's central bank governor Pan Gongsheng also spoke at the forum, seeking to alleviate concerns about the trade surplus. According to Dawn, Pan said: "Analysing global economic imbalances requires looking not only at trade in goods but also services, and not only at the current account but also the financial account," adding that China is the country with the largest goods surplus but also the largest services deficit. Dawn reports that Pan said China has no need and no intention to... (text cut off in the original report).

The SCMP report presents several statistical claims about foreign investment and tourism. It states that interest in entering or re-entering China has quadrupled year on year, based on the experience of the author's firm for the first three months of 2026. It also reports that China welcomed more than 70,000 new foreign-invested enterprises last year, a 19 per cent increase, and that foreign investment surged by over 75 per cent in China's e-commerce services and by 42 per cent in medical instruments and medical device manufacturing. The SCMP also reports more than 150 million tourist visits last year, up by 17 per cent, with spending surpassing US$130 billion, a 40 per cent jump. It adds that more than 30 million foreigners entered visa-free, a number expected to grow with Britain and Canada added to the visa-exemption list.

These statistical claims are carried solely by SCMP and have not been independently verified by other sources in this coverage.

Perspectives

China's official position: The Chinese government, through Premier Li Qiang and central bank governor Pan Gongsheng, presents a commitment to opening the economy and balanced trade, while downplaying concerns about the trade surplus by pointing to the services deficit.

Foreign investor interest: The SCMP article, authored by a business professional, presents a positive view of China as a stable and reliable destination for foreign investment, citing rising interest and investment inflows.

International concerns: Dawn's coverage notes that China faces challenges in deflecting concerns from global capitals about its trade practices, overcapacity, and overreliance on key Chinese products, reflecting broader international skepticism about China's economic policies.