Closer partnership among G20 members needed: State councilor

BEIJING, Nov. 2 -- Member countries of the Group of 20 (G20) should take more measures to build closer partnerships, Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi said on Saturday.

"China is an active participant, supporter of and contributor to the G20," Yang said while addressing a 21st Century Council conference in Beijing.

Chinese leaders had attended all of the previous eight G20 summits, Yang said, adding that the country hopes to make joint efforts with other G20 members to enhance coordination, and play a bigger role in boosting robust, sustainable and balanced growth of the world economy.

Currently, the foundation for world economic recovery is not solid, said the state councilor, urging G20 members to preserve an open world economy featuring innovation, growth and converging interests.

He said the G20 consists of major world economies and is very representative. Various parties have made fruitful achievements through the G20 platform in strengthening coordination on macro-economy policies, countering the impact of the global financial crisis, opposing trade protectionism and promoting reform of global economic governance.

The two-day conference, focusing on the subject of "understanding China", will address topics such as China's politics, economy, diplomacy and defense.

Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, former Spanish Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez, Former Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo, Zheng Bijian, chairman of the China Institute for Innovation and Development Strategy and Chinese Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng are among attendees at the conference.