Chinese Premier Li Qiang makes new overtures to foreign firms, pledging more access and services

China is doubling down on efforts to appeal to foreign investors, with Premier Li Qiang promising offshore players wider access to the country’s markets and better services.

Addressing company executives in the eastern economic powerhouse of Zhejiang, Li said China put high value on the development of foreign-invested firms and would “steadily expand” their access to more sectors.

The commitments were part of a three-day trip that took in the cities of Hangzhou, Shaoxing and Jiaxing, and ended on Friday.

The visit followed the annual central economic work conference last week, when leaders pledged to stabilise foreign capital and foreign trade, and better support the private economy amid a deepening in “the negative influence from changes in the external environment”.

Trump said on the campaign trail that he would impose tariff increases of 60 per cent or more on goods imported from China. Last month, he said he would impose an extra 10 per cent tariff on made-in-China products.