BEIJING, June 28-- One year ago, in his remarks at the Group of 20 (G20) summit in the Japanese city of Osaka, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the leaders of major economies to "re-calibrate the direction of the world economy and global governance at this critical juncture, work together to boost market confidence, and bring hope to our people." As the world is confronting the twin crises of the sweeping COVID-19 pandemic and a deep economic contraction, Xi's words spoken last year couldn't be more relevant today. The G20, the world's premier platform for international economic cooperation, should step up its efforts to coordinate a much more effective and rigorous global response, just as what it did to lead the world out of the 2008-2009 financial crisis. As the clock is ticking, G20 members have already been working to strengthen their communication, and are searching for solutions. At a virtual summit in late March, G20 leaders agreed that "the uNPRecedented COVID-19 pandemic is a powerful reminder of our interconnectedness and vulnerabilities," and vowed to present "a united front against this common threat." Also, multiple meetings of the group's central bankers and finance ministers, as well as ministerial gatherings in the fields of trade, health, agriculture, digital economy, energy and tourism have been held. Yet with few signs showing that the COVID-19 pandemic is ebbing, a global caseload exceeding 10 million, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projecting a global contraction of 4.9 percent this year, the G20 bloc, representing nearly 90 percent of the global economy, shoulders a much heavier responsibility this time and thus needs to do more. |