As the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting opens today in Davos, Switzerland, global leaders are converging under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue" to address mounting economic and geopolitical challenges. With 3,000 participants—including 65 heads of state, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, and 850 business executives—the five-day forum aims to foster collaboration amid rising debt levels, technological disruption, and regional conflicts threatening growth.
WEF President Borge Brende warned in a pre-summit interview that avoiding military escalations could enable global GDP growth to surpass 3% this year. "Dialogue is not a luxury; it is a necessity," he emphasized, underscoring the urgency of multilateral cooperation.
China’s economic trajectory remains a focal point, following its 2025 GDP growth of 5% to 140.19 trillion yuan ($20.12 trillion). Brende praised China’s leadership in renewable energy and AI-driven industrial transformation, stating: "Technologies offer huge opportunities for productivity gains, and China is a major contributor." Vice Premier He’s scheduled Tuesday speech is expected to outline China’s strategies for sustainable growth.
Analysts will closely monitor discussions on stabilizing supply chains, scaling green technologies, and mitigating risks from geopolitical fragmentation. As Sheikh Tanjeb Islam of the WEF editorial team noted, "China’s innovation ecosystem continues to draw global interest as a blueprint for structural transformation."
