Summer Davos underway amid shifting global times

As the world economy struggles to recover from the global economic crisis, this year's Summer Davos is in the spotlight more than ever before, Qu Xiaofei, deputy-mayor of Dalian, said at a press conference in Beijing on Friday.

Held from Sept 11 to 13 in Dalian, Liaoning province, the theme of this year's gathering of top economic minds is "meeting the innovation imperative".

"The annual meeting has become an important opportunity for the world to understand China and for the country to further embrace the world," Qu said.

The event has been held six times in China since 2007, with Dalian and Tianjin taking turns as the host city.

"Dalian will fully use the influential impact of Summer Davos to further improve its international image and opening-up to the outside world," he noted.

Li Xuedong, deputy director of the Department of International Cooperation with the National Development and Reform Commission - the nation's top economic planning agency - said "the forum's theme echoes the Party's report at the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China".

"For the first time the Party said it will implement the innovation imperative strategy," he said.

"We hope the forum will work together with China to make bigger contributions to the sustainable and healthy development of the world economy."

According to Olivier Schwab, executive director of World Economic Forum China, the annual meeting gathers "global shapers" - creators and leaders of business and society.

Together they will look for the dynamics needed to elevate competitiveness and promote economic recovery, he said.