China’s Premier Li Keqiang pledged that the nation would open further to foreign investment, official news agency Xinhua reported. He made the remarks on Wednesday at the annual summer meeting of the World Economic Forum in Dalian, in northeast China.

Earlier this year the Chinese Government had reduced by half, the number of industries that were barred from foreign investment, said Mr Li.

“China is striving for an equal playing field for both Chinese and foreign firms,” he was quoted saying. He added the world’s second-largest economy is now negotiating bilateral investment treaties with many countries including the United States, and European Union nations.

In the first half of this year, foreign direct investment in China increased 7.7 percent from the prior-year period, Xinhua reported.

Mr Li also stated that the economic prospects for China “remain positive” despite short-term fluctuations.