The Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, Li Keqiang, organized a forum for foreign experts working in China on January 17, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

The chief guests included the winner of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, and Professor at the Israel Institute of Technology, Dan Shechtman; the President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, and the Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde, Sir James McDonald; Professor at the School of International Relations and Diplomacy at the Beijing Foreign Studies University, Dr. David Bartosch; the Co-CEO of Ping An Group, Chen Xinying; the Vice-Chancellor of New York University Shanghai, Jeffrey Lehman; and the winner of 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics, and Foreign Academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Gérard Mourou. Some of the various topics discussed were research, scientific and technological innovation, personnel training, cultural exchanges, finance, the energy industry, and development.

Li Keqiang said that on the occasion of the Chinese Lunar New Year, he extended greetings to foreign experts working in China. He thanked those present for their support and help towards the reform, opening up, and modernization of China.

Li Keqiang also responded to the suggestions of foreign experts one by one, while discussing complicated international conditions over the past year and the downward pressure faced by the global economy. He said that China was striving for sustained economic growth and improved employment opportunities. He also said that on the basis of the positive results achieved due to tax reduction and fee reduction over the course of the previous year, China would continue to follow an institutional reduction in tax to further optimize the business environment, stimulate the markets, and keep the economy operating at a reasonable pace.

Premier Li also said that China's development was open, while it was also committed to world peace, multilateralism, free trade, and cooperation with other countries to achieve mutual benefits. He said that China would also continue to expand its opening up in science & technology and other fields in cooperation with the international community. He also said that China would implement a more effective policy to facilitate the work and life of foreigners in China.

After the symposium, Li Keqiang hosted a dinner for the foreign experts. Also in attendance were the Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China, Liu He, and the State Councilor and Secretary-General of the State Council, Xiao Jie.

In light of his contributions to China's economic and social development, the Founder and Chairman of the Board of Sias University, Dr. Shawn Chen, was invited to attend the symposium and dinner as one of the foreign experts in China.