China expected the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2009, or the third Summer Davos forum, to be conducive to tackling the world economic downturn and send a "stronger signal" for global recovery.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu made the remarks at a regular press briefing on Thursday.

The meeting, which included five topics, would focus on reviving the world economic growth, said Jiang, adding that it would review the feasibility and effectiveness of the policies of various countries in dealing with the financial crisis since the World Economic Forum was held in January this year in the Swiss resort of Davos.

The summer forum opened Thursday in northeast China's port city Dalian, Liaoning Province. It is scheduled to last until Saturday.

According to Jiang, about 1,500 attendees from over 80 countries are expected to attend the meeting, including Latvian President Valdis Zatlers, Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, Singaporean Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Hryhoriy Nemyrya, Mauritian Deputy Prime Minister Rama Krishna Sithanen, Zimbabwean Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai and Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic.

"China attaches great importance to this meeting and hopes it can send a stronger signal in tackling the international crisis and recovering the world economy," she said.

The first Summer Davos forum was held in Dalian in September 2007, with the theme of "Shifting Power Equation".

The second Summer Davos forum was held in the northern port city of Tianjin in September last year, with the theme of "The Next Wave of Growth". The forum attracted some 1,400 participants from nearly 90 countries and regions.

(Xinhua News Agency September 11, 2009)