BEIJING: In a world haunted by growing protectionism, China has continuously expanded opening up, injecting stability into the global economy, and has become an oasis of certainty and a hot spot for investment and entrepreneurship.
This is the belief shared by more than 40 representatives of the international business community who met here on Friday with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
From the China Development Forum 2025 in Beijing to the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2025 in south China’s Hainan Province, foreign executives have reaffirmed their commitment to China as a key market for investment and collaboration. They noted China’s complete industrial system, rich application scenarios, vast market scale and large talent pool, which combine to offer extensive collaboration opportunities for international industrial and technological innovation.
China’s reform and opening up continue to draw global attention. Riding the wave created by China’s high-level opening-up endeavors, foreign companies are leveraging the advantages of the world’s second-largest economy and participating in its innovation pursuit, aiming at win-win cooperation.
“We have been very proud to play a role in China’s development, enabling and connecting China to the world,” said Sean Stein, president of the U.S.-China Business Council, adding that China has grown into the world’s second-largest consumer market, presenting vast opportunities for multinational operators to invest and expand their businesses.
Foreign business operations and investments in China have driven economic growth and employment, boosted technological and managerial progress, and facilitated reform and opening up. In this process, foreign businesses have thrived and generally enjoyed handsome returns, achieved win-win results, and forged profound friendship with the Chinese people.
In 2024, a total of 59,080 new foreign-invested enterprises were established in China, up 9.9 percent year on year. Over the past five years, the return rate of foreign direct investment in the country has remained at approximately 9 percent, ranking among the highest in the world. “We invest in infrastructure that supports domestic consumption. A prosperous Chinese consumer is good for our business,” said Hamid R. Moghadam, chairman and CEO of Prologis. –Agencies
