PREFACE

Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum

克劳斯·施瓦布：世界经济论坛创始人兼执行主席

When China began its reforms and to open up to the world in the winter of 1978, it caught my attention. Soon after, at my invitation, the famous Chinese economist Qian Junrui led a delegation to the Davos Symposium in 1979. Since that time, a Chinese delegation has been a regular presence at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meetings in Davos.

Over the past 40 years, with its wide international reach and openness, the Forum has attracted more and more global political, economic, and civil society leaders to all of its activities. In the process of China reaching out to the world, the Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos has been an important bridge and platform for its international exchanges.

Since 2007, when the first “Summer Davos” was held in Dalian, China, there have been 12 consecutive editions, and this Annual Meeting of the New Champions has become a global platform

for scientific and technological innovation.The World Economic Forum has been witness to China's great development process.

The change brought about by reform and opening-up has been incredible. In 1978, China's urbanization rate was 18 percent, which has since more than tripled and is expected to reach 60 percent by 2020. In 40 years, China has shifted from a largely agricultural nation with a planned economy to one that is poised to be a leader in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Reading The Sleeping Giant Awakes,I am delighted to see that, like me, there are many in the world who have been studying China's incredible transformation. The profound historical vision, economic analysis and unforgettable stories of the authors are valuable resources for the world to understand China's growth story.

More importantly, this enlightening book not only summarizes China's reform and opening-up, but also presents opportunities and challenges of future development, which can be a model for other countries to learn from and follow.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has emphasized that China, as it enters a new era, will further open up. China's commitment to embrace the world and to support multilateralism is of great significance to the international community, where protectionism and unilateralism are on the rise.

I wish China greater development in the future for the benefit of the Chinese people and for the world.