International executives say COVID-19 measures to aid business cooperation

International business executives have expressed their support for China's optimization of its pandemic response measures, saying it will spur global business cooperation and people-to-people exchanges and contribute to economic recovery.

While attending a meeting on Tuesday organized by the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee to brief them on the optimization of the country's pandemic control policies, the executives said the changes are timely, necessary and science-based.

"The development of the policy in China over the past month or so has been very positive, and we see China is ready to take its leading position in the world again," said Jacques De Vos, executive director of CED Prometheus, a business consultancy.

The situation in China is becoming normal and is positive for business exchanges, he said, adding that the country has well coordinated economic development and protection of people's health.

Pierre Mirochnikoff, vice-president of the French Chamber of Commerce in China, said that China's COVID response is a science-based approach that prioritizes people's lives and health.

As the global economy faces headwinds, small and medium-sized enterprises will gain more opportunities from China's high-level opening-up, he said. "Now is the time to focus on cooperation to do business in China."

According to the Ministry of Commerce, a large number of foreign companies have begun drawing up schedules for their executives to visit China to seek new business opportunities, after the country downgraded its COVID-19 management measures from Class A to Class B on Sunday.

Yuval Ben Sadeh, chairman of the Israel Chamber of Commerce, said the Chinese economy has strong resilience and huge potential, and he is upbeat about the nation returning to normal life and work.

Recalling China's international role in fighting the pandemic, he said it was great to see the country move from having a shortage of masks and equipment to supplying the rest of the world with medical materials and aid in a short period of time. China's actions also demonstrated the role it played in international solidarity to fight the virus.

Ben Sadeh urged all countries to step up international cooperation to cope with the public health crisis.

Lu Hai, director of public affairs at the Mexican Chamber of Commerce in China, said the country's recent refining of its COVID-19 response policies will significantly promote interaction between China and other countries.

China is the second largest trading partner of Mexico, and Mexico is China's second largest trading partner in Latin America. The policy adjustments will further promote economic and trade exchanges between the two sides, he said.

In 2021, bilateral trade volume between China and Mexico reached a new high of $86.6 billion, a year-on-year increase of 41.9 percent, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Lu said the optimization of the COVID-19 control measures will also promote recovery in other business sectors, such as tourism between China and Latin American countries.