The 2025 World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting commenced in Davos, Switzerland, on Monday, drawing nearly 3,000 participants from 130 countries and regions. Under the theme \"Cooperation in the Intelligent Age,\" global leaders, business executives, and experts gathered to discuss the urgent need for collaboration in addressing shared challenges.
With over 60 heads of state and government in attendance, the forum aims to foster meaningful dialogue on critical issues ranging from geopolitical tensions and the accelerating climate crisis to rapid technological transformations impacting artificial intelligence and automation in the global economy.
Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang highlighted the importance of cooperation in promoting economic globalization during his speech at the forum. \"Through cooperation to promote economic globalization, we will usher in a more vibrant, advanced, and sustainable new stage. I believe we have the wisdom and capability to find mutually beneficial cooperation through communication and consultation, and I also recognize the challenges in further advancing economic globalization,\" he said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also emphasized the necessity of global cooperation. \"We will need to work together to avoid a global race to the bottom. Because it is in no one's interest to break the bonds in the global economy,\" she stated.
Prior to the opening, WEF Founder Klaus Schwab called for renewed cooperation amid growing global divisions. He expressed optimism about shaping a more sustainable and inclusive future in the emerging intelligent era. \"Despite divergent positions and great uncertainties, the Annual Meeting 2025 will foster a spirit of cooperation and constructive optimism with the objective of shaping the forthcoming Intelligent Age in a more sustainable and inclusive way,\" Schwab said.
Jeremy Jurgens, Managing Director of the WEF, addressed the importance of strong global governance in the face of rapid technological change. He highlighted the contributions of the Chinese mainland in areas such as economic growth, innovation, and environmental sustainability, underlining the significance of inclusive international collaboration.
Reference(s):
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