国内英语新闻:Concern over safety in China unnecessary: FM spokesperson

BEIJING, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- It is completely groundless and unnecessary for certain senior executives of foreign enterprises to worry about their safety in China, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said Friday.

Some foreign enterprises' senior executives recently expressed concern about doing business in China, saying they fear that their safety is not guaranteed. Spokesperson Geng Shuang dismissed such concern at a routine press briefing.

China protects the safety and legitimate rights of foreign citizens in China in accordance with the law, Geng said. "When citizens of any nation come to China, their safety is guaranteed as long as they abide by Chinese laws and regulations."

In 2018, more than 60,000 foreign-funded firms were newly established in China, up 69.8 percent year on year, and China's actual use of foreign capital increased by 3 percent to 135 billion U.S. dollars, Geng noted.

"Behind those numbers are various personnel exchanges, including a large number of foreign enterprises' staff coming to China for visits and business talks. I don't think we would have these numbers if China was not safe."

China pursues a mutually beneficial, win-win strategy of opening-up. Foreign enterprises also contributed to China's tremendous achievements over the past 40 years by actively participating in and offering advice on China's reform and opening-up.

"As Chinese leaders frequently pointed out, China will swing its door of opening-up even wider. We will be continuously committed to building a better business environment for foreign companies and, as always, we welcome their executives to visit China to do business," Geng said.