2月3日，刘光源特派员在《南华早报》发表题为《中国为世界经济复苏提供强劲动力》的英文署名文章，阐释2022年中国经济发展成就，并从“市场向好”“国际看好”“政策利好”“企业叫好”四方面宣介2023年中国经济发展前景，呼吁国际社会与中国携手，共同推动世界经济复苏发展。文章2日亦在该报网页版刊登。全文如下：

中国为世界经济复苏提供强劲动力

2022年中国国内生产总值突破120万亿元，同比增长3%，增速高于多数主要经济体。在百年变局和世纪疫情叠加的复杂局面下，中国取得这样的成绩难能可贵、殊为不易。2022年，中国经济展现强大韧性，2023年，中国经济充满生机活力。

无论是市场面还是政策面，中国经济都释放出强烈积极信号，作为世界经济复苏“稳定器”和增长“发动机”的强大作用更加凸显。

——市场向好，国际看好。随着疫情防控转入新阶段，中国生产生活秩序稳步恢复，经济增长内生动力不断积聚增强。春节期间，中国国内旅游人次达3.08亿，恢复至2019年近九成，出境机票同比增长6.7倍，旅游市场强势复苏；国内电影院线营业已恢复九成，春节档票房突破67亿元,位列影史春节档票房第二,今年中国电影总票房于1月31日突破100亿元，创历年来1月票房最高纪录；春节假期前6天全国堂食订单量同比增长超50%，各地餐馆烟火味十足……眼下，全国各地商圈、景点人群熙攘，餐馆、影院客流不息，热闹与人气奔涌而至，消费市场生机勃勃。一个经济社会活力充分释放的中国呈现在世人面前，让那些唱衰中国经济的论调再次落空。

在不少发达经济体通胀高烧不退、世界经济持续不振的大背景下，“全球复苏看中国”成为国际社会广泛共识和普遍期待。联合国预测，2023年中国经济增速将达4.8%，将带动区域经济增长；国际货币基金组织预测中国经济增速将达5.2%，并表示中国将成为今年全球增长最大推动力；摩根士丹利、高盛等国际投资机构也纷纷上调中国经济增速预测至5%以上。

——政策利好，企业叫好。民营经济是舆论关注点，也是中央经济政策重点。中央经济工作会议强调要鼓励支持民营经济发展壮大，依法保护民营企业权益，为民营经济发展注入一剂“强心针”。面对全球保护主义盛行，外界关注中国的外商投资政策，中央经济工作会议强调要更大力度吸引和利用外资，并从扩大市场准入、落实好外资企业国民待遇、加大外资权益保护等方面作出系列部署。春节后首个工作日召开的国务院常务会议也要求推动新版鼓励外商投资产业目录加快落地、落实便利人员跨境往来措施，外企在中国市场的投资门槛越来越低，营商环境越来越好。

新年伊始，20多位中国民营企业家集体发声，坚定看好中国经济，展现出大显身手、砥砺实干的决心。外资企业也坚定拥抱中国美好未来。中国贸促会数据显示，99.4%的外企对2023年中国经济更有信心，98.7%的外企计划维持和扩大在华投资,将继续用实际行动为中国投下信任票。

2023年，中国迎来改革开放45周年，“一带一路”倡议也迈进第十个年头。香港作为祖国和世界的“超级联系人”，在推动国家高质量发展方面大有可为，也将为促进世界经济复苏作出独特贡献。内地与香港全面通关在即，中央将一如既往支持香港提升国际金融、航运、贸易中心地位，维护自由开放公平的营商坏境，保持普通法制度，推进创新发展和产业升级，拓展畅通便捷的国际联系。外交部驻港公署也将继续践行外交惠港，发挥外交所长，竭诚为香港与国际社会合作共赢作出不懈努力。国际持份者只要抓住香港独特优势，用好香港广阔舞台，必将风光无限、成果可期。

草木蔓发，春山可望。象征着希望、和平、生机与活力的兔年已经到来，一个春回大地、热气腾腾的中国，必将为全球经济挺过“寒冬”助一臂之力。新征程上，中国内地与香港特区期待与各国携手，汇聚起合作共赢的磅礴伟力，共同推动世界经济企稳复苏、向前发展！

China’s resurgent economic growth will be a boon to the world in 2023

China’s GDP expanded by 3 per cent year on year in 2022  – better than many major economies – climbed above the 120 trillion yuan (US$17.8 trillion) mark for the first time as the economy navigated rough waters throughout the year and overcame headwinds from the Covid-19 pandemic and geopolitical tensions.

Looking to 2023, China’s economy will see a robust improvement as the better-than-expected, hard-won growth from last year has demonstrated its resilience. With strong positive signals seen in China’s market and policies in recent weeks, the nation’s dual role as a stabiliser and locomotive of the global economy has been further highlighted.

China’s reopening has fuelled optimism over global growth. The seven-day Chinese New Year holiday saw the country’s pent-up travel demand unleashed, with vast numbers of tourists again seen across the country and overseas. A total of 308 million domestic trips were made during the week, almost 90 per cent of the 2019 figure before the pandemic began. Outbound flight bookings rose 6.7 times over the 2022 level.

About 90 per cent of Chinese cinemas have reopened, and box office takings during the holiday reached more than 6.7 billion yuan, the second-highest gross figure for the holiday to date. China’s January box office takings topped 10 billion yuan, a record high for the month. Restaurants also witnessed a more than 50 per cent rise in customers year on year during the Spring Festival holiday.

These numbers are evidence against any proclamations of doom about China’s economy. The world’s second-largest economy has shrugged off the epidemic clouds and is now firing on all cylinders.

As inflation issues in developed markets loom larger, there is an increasingly prevalent view that China’s economic growth will be the main hedge against the risk of global economic recession.

The United Nations projects the Chinese economy will drive regional growth in 2023 with a 4.8 per cent growth rate. The International Monetary Fund raised China’s growth forecast to 5.2 per cent and said the country could be the biggest driver of global growth this year. Foreign firms such as Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs are bullish on China’s economy and have lifted their growth outlook to more than 5 per cent.

Meanwhile, China’s supportive policies have boosted business confidence. With private enterprises suffering more difficulties since the outbreak of Covid-19, China’s tone-setting annual central economic work conference last December stressed the need to support the private economy and protect the rights and interests of private enterprises.

Given the rising cases of global protectionism, the world pays close attention to China’s foreign investment policy. The economic conference called for attracting more foreign capital and also made plans to expand China’s market access, ensure national treatment of foreign-funded enterprises and strengthen protection of foreign capital.

A State Council executive meeting on January 28 called for sustained efforts to implement the new Catalogue of Encouraged Industries for Foreign Investment and to facilitate the cross-border flow of personnel. Foreign investors will see lower thresholds and a better business environment in China.

At the beginning of 2023, executives from 21 Chinese companies in the private sector expressed their strong confidence in China’s economy. Foreign enterprises also remain optimistic about China’s future. According to a poll of 160 foreign companies and chambers in December, conducted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, 99.4 per cent said they were confident about China’s economy in 2023 and 98.7 per cent said they intended to maintain and expand their investments in China.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of China’s “reform and opening up” policy, as well as the 10th anniversary of the proposal of the Belt and Road Initiative. As a “super connector” between the mainland and the world, Hong Kong has much to contribute to the country’s high-quality development and the world’s economic recovery in the coming year.

As the border between Hong Kong and the mainland progressively reopens, the central government will not hesitate to further support Hong Kong in enhancing its status as a global financial, shipping and trade centre. It will protect its free, open and fair business environment and ensure that its common law system is maintained, innovation and industrial upgrading advanced and its international linkages expanded.

The Commissioner’s Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong will continue to use its diplomatic expertise for win-win cooperation between Hong Kong and the international community. International stakeholders will have much to gain as long as they make best use of Hong Kong’s broad stage and unique strengths.

While the global outlook is downbeat, China’s growth will be the light at the end of the tunnel. According to the Chinese calendar, this is the Year of the Rabbit. The fourth animal in the zodiac symbolises hope, peace, vigour and vitality. Let us waste no time and work together to make this a year when all our strengths are pooled to revive the world economy. The mainland and Hong Kong stand ready.