Global business leaders signaled strong confidence in China’s economic future at the China Development Forum 2025, pledging to deepen research and ramp up investments across manufacturing, green energy, and semiconductor sectors. Held in Beijing from March 23-24, the forum convened 86 delegates from multinational corporations spanning 21 countries and regions.
Under the theme “Unleashing Development Momentum for Stable Growth of Global Economy,” participants highlighted China’s expanding innovation ecosystem and improving business climate as key drivers. “China remains unmatched in its capacity for industrial integration and market responsiveness,” said Siemens AG CEO Roland Busch during a panel discussion. His remarks echoed sentiment from executives at Volkswagen, HSBC, and Qualcomm.
The Chinese premier reaffirmed commitments to reducing market access barriers and enhancing intellectual property protections during a keynote address. Analysts noted this aligns with recent policy shifts encouraging high-tech collaboration, particularly in climate-related industries.
With China contributing over 30% of global growth in 2024, investors emphasized the strategic need to engage with its renewable energy supply chains and consumer tech markets. Japan’s SoftBank Group announced plans to double their AI research footprint in Shenzhen by 2026.
