On the morning of March 1, 2023, Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council had a phone call with Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva at the latter's request at Ziguangge of Zhongnanhai.

Li Keqiang said that in the face of the complicated international and regional situations, China and the IMF have maintained friendly cooperation, which has not only brought benefits to the two sides, but also conduced to the joint international efforts to meet global challenges. As the world's largest developing country and an active promoter of South-South cooperation, China has been committed to narrowing the North-South gap. Addressing the debt problems of low-income countries requires the participation of all creditors. China stands ready to take a constructive part in resolving the debt problems of relevant countries within multilateral frameworks. At the same time, China calls on all relevant parties to take joint actions and share the burden fairly to help low-income countries overcome economic difficulties and achieve sustainable development.

Li Keqiang pointed out that the Chinese economy was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and other unexpected factors last year. In response, the Chinese government promptly took decisive actions, implemented the set policy measures early on, and rolled out a package of policies and follow-up measures. By so doing, China has maintained stable macroeconomic performance, creating over 12 million new urban jobs throughout the year. Against the backdrop of surging inflation across the globe, China has kept economic growth stable and prevented inflation, with the consumer price index (CPI) up by only two percent. Over the three years since the outbreak of the pandemic, China has readjusted macro regulation in an innovative way and made intensified efforts to stimulate market vitality and social creativity through tax and fee reductions. The economy has grown at an average annual rate of 4.5 percent, higher than the world average. At present, China's economic growth is rebounding steadily, with vast space for future development.

Georgieva said that the Chinese economy has delivered an outstanding performance in recent time, making positive contributions to world economic development, and it will continue to be a major driving force for world economic growth. The IMF has significantly raised its forecast for China's economic growth. The IMF thanks China for its positive and constructive attitude and relevant efforts to support developing countries in addressing debt crises, and stands ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China in this regard.

He Lifeng and Xiao Jie, among others, were present at the event.