The Davos Forum, long considered the ultimate meeting place between business and political or civil society leaders, is being held online due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 2017, the Chinese number one caused a sensation in Davos by making himself, unexpectedly, the cantor of free trade and globalization, at a time when the coming to power of Donald Trump in the United States raised fears. a resurgence of protectionism.
On Monday, Xi Jinping again presented himself as the defender of multilateralism and warned against tensions at the global level.
"History has proven time and time again that confrontation does not solve problems, it only leads to catastrophic consequences," Xi said, according to the official text of his speech.
The strongman from Beijing did not mention the great American rival.
"Our world today is far from peaceful. Rhetoric that stirs up hatred and prejudice abounds," said Xi Jinping, without specifying his thoughts.
China, the world's leading trading power, is promoting new regional free trade agreements and initiating "new silk roads" surrounding the Eurasian continent.
However, the country is readily accused by the European Union (EU) and the United States - its two main trading partners - of resorting to dumping, protectionist measures penalizing imported products and restricting access to foreign companies. .
© 2022 AFP