OVER 1,600 representatives from the political, business, academic and media communities of close to 80 countries and regions stand ready to gather in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning province, to participate in the 15th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as Summer Davos, to contribute their ideas to help stimulate a new momentum for world economic development.

This marks the return of the Summer Davos to Liaoning after a five-year hiatus, with record numbers of venues and guests. This year's forum, held from Tuesday to Thursday, will serve as an important window to observe and understand China's economy and politics, as well as an international communication platform to better grasp the development trends and opportunities in the global economy, forum participants and Chinese experts said on Monday.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang will attend the Summer Davos on Tuesday and deliver a special address at the meeting. He will also meet with Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Klaus Schwab and foreign guests, and have a conversation with representatives of the foreign business community.

Poland's President Andrzej Duda and Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will also attend the meeting.

The international community is now facing a complex situation, which makes it all the more necessary to have a communication and dialog platform like the WEF to build bridges for all parties to cooperate and solve problems on a global scale, Chen Liming, chairman of Greater China at the WEF, said during a press conference on June 18.

"The Summer Davos meeting, as an international platform for exchange, provides us with an opportunity to cooperate with the world. It also helps us understand the trends and opportunities in the global economy," Wang Peng, an associate researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Monday.

The discussion of economic recovery of China and the world will be prioritized during the Summer Davos, as well as the global environment and conditions for further growth amid regional conflicts, Cao Heping, an economist at Peking University, told the Global Times on Monday.

"As a major midyear international forum, participants of this Summer Davos should focus on fostering new growth engines by promoting more regional economic cooperation. And it is also important to discuss how to ensure a steady global development environment by minimizing the impact of the wars," said Cao.

While there are many important aspects worth noting at this year's Davos, certain sectors such as global trade and green transformation are particularly noteworthy for world development. This is especially true against the backdrop of rising challenges due to intensified protectionism from certain Western countries, experts said.

Currently, free trade is facing significant challenges due to rising protectionism, leading to the restructuring of global supply chains and industrial chains, which is a very serious problem, Li Chang'an, a professor from the Academy of China Open Economy Studies at the University of International Business and Economics, told the Global Times on Monday.

"Globalization underscores the importance of free trade. Despite the challenges, it is only by continuing to adhere to the path of free trade that the world can share in the opportunities presented by China's development, and jointly we may promote common development for all," said Li.