BEIRUT, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri said Thursday that Lebanon should follow China's example in modernizing the country, the National News Agency reported.

"When we look at China, we see how it has been working for the past 30 years to modernize and become one of the most advanced countries, for instance in artificial intelligence," Hariri was quoted as saying at the opening of the Arab Economic Forum in Beirut.

The event, which gathered Lebanese and Egyptian officials and businessmen, aimed at tackling developmental and economic issues pertaining to the region.

Hariri said that Lebanon must work on modernizing its legislations and its way of development by undertaking necessary reforms and opening up to the whole world.

He said that Lebanon, similar to other countries in the region, is facing the challenges of boosting economic growth and diversifying its growth sources with the aim of creating job opportunities for the youth.

"We are convinced that this cannot happen without implementing reforms that will improve our economies," he said.

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly told the forum that the Egyptian government has implemented a lot of reforms to achieve sustainable growth and increase the competitive advantage of Egypt, while restoring the confidence of investors and spurring the growth of its private sector.

Madbouly echoed Hariri's remarks by noting that Asian countries, especially China, were capable of advancing in the past decades because they have been working hard.

"We should work hard in the Arab world like China, in a bid to reach our objectives," he said.