Nation plays important role in global affairs[1]- Chinadaily.com.cn

Nation plays important role in global affairs

By Zhao Shengnan (chinadaily.com.cn)

Updated: 2015-03-15 14:49:05

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang speaks at a news conference after the closing session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC), at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing, March 15, 2015.[Photo/Xinhua]

Highlights of Premier Li's press conference

Premier Li Keqiang dismissed claims on Sunday that China has been a "free rider" in international affairs, saying that it keeps development as its top priority and is assuming greater international obligations and responsibilities.

"For such as big country like ours, how could it be easy for us get a free ride on anybody's train? What China is doing is working with other countries in pursuit of common progress," Li said at a news conference after the conclusion of the annual session of the National People's Congress.

"China needs to run its own affairs well and maintain its development at a reasonable speed. I believe that in itself is China's major contribution to the whole world," he said.

The premier's comments came after the International Monetary Fund estimated that China had surpassed the United States in terms of GDP based on purchasing power parity (PPP), becoming the world's largest economy by this measure.

The remarks follow US President Barack Obama's claims about China in August. During an interview, Obama called China a "free rider" in Iraq for the past 30 years and blamed it for not taking on more international obligations.

The premier downplayed the "exaggeration" about China's economic strength, saying that China, as a developing country, is not the world's largest economy and the nation still lags far behind others in terms of GDP per capita.

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