China offers stability and certainty amid global unpredictability, former Hong Kong chief executive Leung Chun-ying said, describing Beijing as “a pair of steady hands” at a time of heightened geopolitical and economic uncertainty.

Leung, who now serves as vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, made the remarks in Jakarta on Tuesday during a keynote address at the South China Morning Post’s China Conference: Southeast Asia 2026, where he urged strengthened cooperation between China, Hong Kong and Southeast Asian nations against a backdrop of global turbulence.

China opposes unilateralism and protectionism, he said, and remains committed to upholding multilateral trade systems and the authority of the United Nations even as the global environment becomes increasingly unpredictable.

Leung emphasised that China’s dedication to fairness and justice, and its efforts to build what he described as a ‘‘community with a shared future for humanity,’’ make it a source of economic growth and a much-needed anchor of certainty for markets and states.

He added that, despite diversity and complex challenges in the Southeast Asian region, shared values and resilience have helped countries navigate recent volatility and will continue to underpin broader cooperation for mutual benefit.

Leung’s comments reflect a broader narrative promoted by Beijing that China’s domestic and international policies — including efforts to sustain economic momentum and maintain open engagement — contribute to global stability at a time of shifting power dynamics and mounting external pressures.

His remarks also underscored the importance of enhanced ties between China and Southeast Asian partners in areas such as trade, investment and infrastructural integration to ensure lasting economic and strategic resilience in an uncertain world.