During his visit to Switzerland from Sunday to Wednesday, President Xi Jinping will attend the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos and deliver a speech at the United Nations main office in Geneva. The Davos meeting, usually attended by China's premier and vice-president, will witness for the first time a keynote address by China's head of state. Xi is expected to explicitly explain his views on the global economic landscape and China's solutions to global problems at the gathering.

Xi's trip, the first state visit by a Chinese leader this year, comes at a time of uncertainties amid rising anti-globalization, protectionism, isolationism and populism even in economies such as the United States and the European Union that have for decades advocated free trade. The election of Donald Trump as US president and the rise of anti-establishment forces in Germany and France, the EU's heartland, do not bode well for the already wobbly global economic growth.

In sharp contrast to the gloomy prospects of the world economy and international relations, Beijing remains committed to globalization. And Xi's presence at the Davos meeting is a reflection of China's determination to press ahead with the multilateral economic system. His presence at Davos also highlights the fact that China is willing and has the capability to set globalization on a more synergistic, inclusive course.