Ms. Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, commented on her recent three-day visit to China, where she met with Premier Li Keqiang and Vice Premier Ma Kai, People’s Bank of China Governor Zhou Xiaochuan and Finance Minister Lou Jiwei, among others.

The IMF director exchanged views on the global economy, the next phase of China’s development, and China’s increasingly important leadership role at the Fund. As the world’s second largest economy, China has played an important part in helping to stabilize the global economy during the financial crisis. Going forward, China will continue to be a key driver of the global recovery.

Ms. Lagarde was “deeply impressed and encouraged” by the Chinese authorities commitment to continue the ongoing rebalancing of the economy and to make growth “more inclusive, friendlier to the environment, and more sustainable, as outlined in the 3rd Plenum Decision”.

According to the IMF director China needs to comprehensively deepen reforms in order rise up to the facing the next phase of the economic transformation. Key to this are the services sector, building a modern financial sector and promoting inclusive growth combined with pro-green policies.

During my visit I was honored to speak at the 2014 China Development Forum where I met with Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli and other senior policymakers, academics, women leaders and private sector representatives on major issues facing the world and China. Topics included reform of financial systems and moving towards more sustainable growth, building better social safety nets, and empowering women” said Lagarde.

Additionally Ms. Lagarde «was encouraged by the creativity, dynamism, and optimism of the Chinese women, youth, entrepreneurs and ‘netizens’” with whom she met on her three-day trip and express her “profound gratitude to the Chinese government and people for their gracious hospitality”.

The original Chinese report on Ms. Lagarde’s trip is as follows:

新闻发布稿第14/120号

立即发布

2014年3月24日

国际货币基金组织总裁拉加德结束访华,会见国务院总理李克强

国际货币基金组织总裁克里斯蒂娜.拉加德女士今天在北京结束了为期三天的访华日程。在离京前,她发表了如下声明:

«非常高兴再次访华。我有幸会见了李克强总理和马凯副总理,并与人民银行周小川行长和财政部楼继伟部长进行了富有成效的会谈。

«在与中方领导人的双边会谈中,我们就全球经济、中国下一步的经济转型以及中国在国际货币基金组织中发挥越来越重要的作用交换了意见。作为全球第二大经济体,中国在金融危机期间发挥了重要的经济稳定器作用。未来中国仍将继续是世界经济恢复的主要推动力。

«我对中国当局在继续推动经济再平衡和使经济增长更具包容性、环境友好以及更可持续方面做出的强有力承诺印象深刻并深受鼓舞。这些也已经包括在 了三中全会的改革蓝图中。中国需要全面深化改革以应对下一阶段经济转型中面临的挑战。释放服务部门潜力、建立一个现代化的金融行业和推动包容性增长以及实 施有利于环境保护的政策将有助于确保中国成功实现这一转型。

«在访华期间,我也很荣幸地受邀在2014年中国发展高层论坛上发言并会见了张高丽副总理以及其它高级决策人士、专家学者、妇女领袖和企业代 表,就中国和世界面临的重要挑战进行了探讨。论坛的议题包括金融部门改革和推动向更可持续的经济增长转型、构建更好的社会保障体系以及推动妇女在经济和社 会生活中发挥更重要的作用。

«在过去三天中我与中国的妇女领袖、年青人、企业家以及’网民’进行了广泛和深入的交流,包括做客新浪微访谈和在清华大学与师生们互动。对他们表现出的创造力、活力和乐观向上的精神深受鼓舞。

«我对于中国政府和中国人民给予我的盛情款待深表感谢,并期望在不久的将来再次访问中国。»