Global warming will be a key topic at the Summer Davos scheduled in September in this port city of Northeast China's Liaoning Province, said a senior official with the World Economic Forum.

"As a hot topic in the previous Davos forums held in Switzerland every winter, climate change is certainly one of the key concerns at the first annual meeting of the World Economic Forum New Champions this September," said World Economic Forum Managing Director Peter Torrele.

He said one of the reasons the World Economic Forum chose Dalian as venue for the annual meeting is its efforts to keep the city green.

"As is done in Davos forum, the organizers will develop a whole process for the meeting to keep all participants alert on environment protection so we can work together step by step on climate change," Torrele said.

Different from the winter forums in Switzerland, with participants from the world's business and economic giants, the meeting in Dalian is a platform for the "future champions in the world economy".

"But the meeting here is of strategic importance as it also focuses on the trends of the global economic development and problems such as energy issues and the risks in emerging sectors," said Torrele.

"We want the world to shift its concern to the East, especially to China, the most promising market in the world, as many people still don't have a full understanding of China and the leading role it will play in the world economy.

"The meeting will present constructive dialogs between the West and the East. Companies in the East can learn how to prise open the world market while Western companies can seek chances for more investment in China and other Eastern countries."

So far, more than 500 CEOs of global companies have confirmed their participation in the meeting, said Jeremy Jurgens, chief representative of the World Economic Forum Beijing Office.

(China Daily June 5, 2007)