China's Xi says country will continue to open up, share opportunities

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China will continue to open up and cooperate with all countries to share opportunities, President Xi Jinping said on Friday at the opening ceremony of the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai.

Speaking via video, Xi said China would encourage more foreign investment and accelerate construction projects such as the Hainan free trade port.

"China will urge all countries and parties to share opportunities for deepening international cooperation, fully and deeply participate in the reform of the World Trade Organization, and promote trade and investment liberalisation and facilitation," he said.

Xi secured a third term as general secretary at the ruling Communist Party's twice-a-decade congress last month, where he urged the party to brace for hardship and strengthen national security.

CIIE, a fair focused on the import of foreign goods, was launched by China in 2018 to showcase its free trade credentials.

Organizers of the event, which runs from Nov 5-10, said that companies from 127 countries and regions will showcase their products or services at the exhibition.

(Reporting by Josh Horwitz and Winni Zhou; editing by David Goodman and Jason Neely)