China's economic improvement crucial to global recovery: U.S. scholar

Performers greet tourists at the entrance of the Shanghai Disneyland theme park in east China's Shanghai, May 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Ren Long)

**Although the outbreak has big impact on consumer spending, real estate, and small and medium-sized enterprises in China, U.S. scholar Jon R. Taylor believes China's economy will bounce back in the second half of the year. **

HOUSTON, May 23 (Xinhua) -- China's economic improvement will be critically important in revitalizing the global economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a U.S. scholar has said.

Jon R. Taylor, political science professor and department chair at the University of Texas at San Antonio, told Xinhua in a recent interview that the world is currently facing the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression. Since China has largely gotten COVID-19 under control, its economy has gradually reopened.

"This is exceedingly important as other nations like the U.S. are still in the beginning phases of reopening," he said.

Jon R. Taylor, professor of political science with the University of St. Thomas, receives an interview in Houston, Texas, the United States, Nov. 7, 2018. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

Although the outbreak has big impact on consumer spending, real estate, and small and medium-sized enterprises in China, Taylor believed China's economy will bounce back in the second half of the year.

"I think that we will see a gradual improvement in China's economy as the year proceeds," he said, adding that high-tech areas that enhance indigenous innovation, green and smart technology will likely to emerge and thrive in the post-pandemic era.

In terms of international collaboration, the professor said he would like to see countries learning from the pandemic and strengthening ties to achieve collective development.

"One would hope that we would see greater cooperation and an emphasis on developing greater consensus within a global governance framework," he commented.