1st LD Writethru: Xi says China's development to benefit foreign business communities

China's development will continue to offer opportunities to business communities in other countries, Chinese President Xi Jinping said here Tuesday.

In the coming five years, China is expected to import 8 trillion U.S. dollars of goods, attract 600 billion dollars of foreign investment, and make 750 billion dollars of outbound investment, Xi said in a keynote speech at the opening session of the World Economic Forum (WEF)'s annual meeting in the Swiss ski resort of Davos.

He added that Chinese tourists will make 700 million overseas visits.

China will keep its door wide open and not close it, Xi said, stressing that an open door allows both other countries to access the Chinese market and China itself to integrate with the world.

The president voiced hope that other countries will also keep their door open to Chinese investors and keep the playing field level for China.

Xi arrived in Switzerland Sunday for a four-day state visit and the WEF annual meeting.

It is the first state visit to the Alpine country by a Chinese president in the 21st century, and also the first time that a Chinese president attended the meeting, a gathering of 3,000 government, business and civil society leaders this year to shape global, regional and industry agendas together. Endi