China: G20 focus should be economy, not Syria

China advances that the main focus of the Group of Twenty (G20) summit should remain addressing the global economic slowdown and promoting international economic and financial governance, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said in Beijing on Thursday.

Hong made the remarks in response to a question about whether China was concerned that the recent disputes between the United States and Russia on Syria will dominate the upcoming G20 summit in St Petersburg.

Hong said the international community is pinning high hope on the G20 summit amid the slow recovery of the global economy.

China believes the summit should address the concerns of the international community, coordinate the macroeconomic policy of each country, promote international economic and financial governance, free trade and the development agenda, so as to exert a positive influence on the international economy, the spokesman said.