Economy

Chinese SME leaders forum kicks off in New York

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-02-10 15:53

NEW YORK - The Chinese small medium enterprise (SME) leaders forum was held here on Wednesday, with over 100 Chinese entrepreneurs attending the meeting.

Bill Clinton, the former US president, was invited by the forum to give a speech. He said the 21st century was challenging for the world because we have to deal with unstable issues from financial sectors, climate change and terrorist threat.

He pointed out that the relationship between the US and China is vital to the world. "The question of 21st century is whether or not US and China will have basically positive and cooperative relationship economically and politically," Clinton said.

"If we do, I think we will increase the chances that the world will deal with the problems and take advantage of the opportunities," he added.

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He said the private sectors are very important for creating new jobs. "When I was president, 92 percent jobs were created by private sector, not by government."

He emphasized that the presence of Chinese private business leaders is "very important," because he thought the US and China should needed to "make more good things happen by working together."

"Business to business contacts are growing, I think it's in China's interest and it's in the interest of US and it's really in the interest of everyone in the world who wants 21st century being more peaceful, more stable and more prosperous."

In the session of conversation with representative of Chinese business leaders, Yan Jiehe, chairman of China Pacific Construction Group, said small and medium enterprise in China played an important role in the transition of China's planned economy to market economy.

"China's economy has made a great progress after the reform and opening up in late 1970s," he said, "small and medium enterprises' growth has helped Chinese economy a lot in the way of manufacturing and export."