China's top legislator Zhao Leji delivered a keynote speech at the opening plenary of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2024 in south China's Hainan Province on Thursday.

Zhao, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, stated that China will adhere to the strategy of innovation-driven development, promote industrial innovation through scientific and technological innovation, and speed up the development of new quality productive forces.

Here are some of the highlights of his speech:

Investment environment

China will proactively dock with high-standard international economic and trade rules and build a first-class investment environment, Zhao said, adding that investing in China is investing in the future as China's super-large market will continue to unleash great potential.

"We sincerely welcome all countries to board the express train of China's development and join hands to realize world modernization featuring peaceful development, mutually beneficial cooperation and common prosperity," Zhao said.

Green and low-carbon development

Zhao mentioned that China's green and low-carbon development will create a huge increase in economic growth and nurture a 10-trillion-yuan (about $1.4 trillion) market for investment and consumption each year.

Now nearly half of the world's installed photovoltaic power generation capacity is in China, more than half of the world's new energy vehicles are driven in China, and a quarter of the world's growth in new forested areas is from China, according to Zhao.

Advance Chinese modernization through high-quality development

Zhao said China is advancing Chinese modernization on all fronts through high-quality development, which will inject strong impetus into global economic recovery and provide more opportunities for the development of all countries, especially neighboring Asian countries.

Prevent the world from becoming an arena for geopolitical fighting

During his speech, Zhao called on Asian nations to stay united, jointly stand against unilateralism and extreme egotism, oppose confrontation between different camps, and prevent the region and the world from becoming an arena for geopolitical fighting.

He also called on Asian countries to oppose trade protectionism, the erection of walls and barriers, and decoupling in all forms.

(With input from Xinhua)

(Cover: A view of a fountain square in front of the Boao Forum for Asia International Conference Center in Boao, south China's Hainan Province, March 25, 2024. /CFP)