World leaders urge multilateralism and closer cooperation at IFF 20th Anniversary GUANGZHOU, China, Oct. 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Finance Forum (IFF) 20th Anniversary and Annual Meeting opens in Guangzhou as World leaders, financial and business executives and academics gather in Nansha, Gangzhou to call for multilateralism and closer cooperation. IFF Co-Chair, former Governor of the People's Bank of China Zhou Xiaochuan, governor of Guangdong Province Wang Weizhong, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Lee Ka Chiu and IFF Co-Chair Han Seung-soo addressed the Opening Ceremony. The Acting Mayor of Guangzhou Sun Zhixiang opened the ceremony. In his opening remarks, Zhou said: "countries should strengthen cooperation to solve economic challenges. Instead of building barriers, decoupling and economic coercion, we should defend multilateralism and build an open global economy. We object protectionism and should actively get involved in the reform of the World Trade Organization." Wang Weizhong, Governor of Guangdong Province, said: "Guangdong will continue to upgrade its level of opening-up and quicken the process of building an open and international market that is based on law." Wang adds that only open cooperation can lead to win-win situation. IFF Co-Chair Han Seung-soo said : "on this auspicious occasion of the 20th anniversary of its founding and at the world's best financial convention hall, we at the IFF should do our best to steer the ship through unchartered water with collective resolve, openness to reform and careful coordination to navigate towards more stable and sustainable global financial horizon." In his congratulatory letter, Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations urged international financial institutions, governments and private sector to work together to scale up development and climate finance. President of Singapore Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Kristalina Georgieva, Director-General of the World Trade Organization Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, IFF Co-Chair fomer Prime Minister of New Zealand Jenny Shipley, IFF Board Member and former President of the Philippines Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, President of the French Constitutional Council Laurent Fabius and Vice President of East Asia and Pacific Region of the World Bank Group Manuela Ferro also addressed the opening ceremony. Ho Hau Wah, former Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region also congratulated the IFF for its 20th anniversary.