Visiting Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi on Saturday spoke highly of the role played by the Geneva-based World Economic Forum (WEF) in promoting cooperation and coping with global challenges.

During meeting here with Klaus Schwab, WEF founder and executive chairman, Wu said WEF has turned its eyes on emerging markets such as China and Russia and helped bridge economic cooperation.

China will support the summer WEF meeting slated for later this year, said Wu, who is in the Russian northwest economic hub for an international economic forum.

The summer WEF meeting is expected to be held in China's northeast coastal resort of Dalian.

China and WEF have established sound relations and will help ensure that the summer meeting is a success, Wu said.

For his part, Schwab said China and WEF both share an idea of harmony.

China is promoting harmonious development while WEF seeks harmony and balance between world economy, society and natural environment, Schwab said.

WEF has invited more than 500 companies, including both multinationals and growing companies in emerging markets, to participate in the summer meeting, he said.

Founded in 1971, the WEF foundation has carried out cooperation with China's governmental and non-governmental organizations. China has sent official delegations to the annual WEF forum held in the Swiss resort of Davos since 1979.

Source: Xinhua