Zhang and Zhou’s comments come amid concerns about increasing protectionist sentiments among some nations after the U.K.’s Brexit vote and the election of U.S. President Donald Trump.
With China still championing globalization and free trade, leaders around the world are looking toward the East Asian giant for direction, clarity and support, underscoring a shift in global trade and power relations.
This is reflected through its aggressive push in Asia through Europe with its One Belt, One Road project which is presenting new opportunities for countries which may have previously struggled to attract investors and funding.
The landlocked Central Asian country of Kazakhstan is one.
“When the Soviet Union was dissolved in the early 90s, everyone (said) that Kazakhstan would struggle because it does not have access to the ocean, but it turned out that we didn’t need to have an ocean because China was going to be the ocean of Kazakhstan,” said Eurasian Resources Group CEO Benedikt Sobotka on Thursday.
Other developing nations’ leaders from Pakistan to Madagascar also paid homage to China at the event.
Indeed, China made clear its intention to push its influence beyond its familiar sphere.
