China’s He Lifeng Warns Against Protectionism at Davos, Cites Risks of ‘Law of the Jungle’

(Davos, Switzerland) — Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng issued a rebuke of rising global protectionism on Tuesday, warning that the international order risks devolving into a “law of the jungle” should major powers forsake multilateral trade rules.

Addressing political and business leaders at the World Economic Forum, He reaffirmed China’s commitment to a rules-based multilateral trading system centered on the World Trade Organization and the maintenance of open global markets. He criticized the “unilateral practices” of certain countries, which he said are destabilizing both the multilateral framework and the broader global economy.