DALIAN -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday said free trade is a "good medicine" to help global economic recovery, calling for joint effort to promote a key pro-trade agreement of the World Trade Organization.

The premier made the remarks when answering a question from Patrice Motsepe, founder and executive chairman of African Rainbow Minerals, in a meeting with global business leaders at the ongoing Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2017, or Summer Davos, in Dalian.