Photo: Xinhua/Li Xin
BEIJING, March 30 (Xinhua) -- (Article author's description) Before entering the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, where the China Development Forum (CDF) 2024 was being held, a colleague told me with a mixture of displeasure and excitement in her voice that the interest in the forum was so great that it might prove impossible for us to find seats.
This year's CDF, whose theme was "China's Continuous Development", had a busy agenda. In just two days, there were two main seminars, six parallel seminars and several closed-door sessions covering a range of topical issues, including China's growth drivers and prospects, carbon neutrality, healthcare, digital transformation of industries and new consumption.
Global Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of leading multinational companies were present in the auditorium. Milind Pant, CEO of Amway Corp. said that China has been the company's largest, fastest growing and most important strategic market for more than 20 years.
"China's advantages in the form of complete industrial chains and innovative ecosystems are now widely recognised and highly valued by multinational companies," Pant said.
It is certain that Amway will continue to invest in China, Pant added. Pant is among the CEOs who visited the forum in the hope of getting to know the pulse of the Chinese market.
Lisa Su, President and CEO of AMD, also said that she appreciated the opportunity to exchange views and that she considers China a very important market. I hope to have the opportunity to interview her in person next year.
Since the media center was crowded, I decided to sit down at the dining room table and work on my article. All the journalists I saw were very busy. Some were chasing interviews, others were trying to catch up with their colleagues. "A new quality of productive forces" was definitely a phrase that came up a lot in their interviews.
The advancement of new quality production forces, featuring cutting-edge technology, high efficiency and quality, is at the forefront in China this year. It is also a key area for foreign enterprises where multinationals are trying to hit "weak spots".
Pascal Soriot, chief executive of UK biopharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, told me he considers this to be "an extremely exciting and important time in healthcare".
"We are here because China is at the forefront of using artificial intelligence, biotechnology and renewable energy to shape the future of healthcare, and we believe that Chinese-origin innovations can help millions of patients around the world," Soriot said.
At the forum, Ola Kallenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of the Mercedes-Benz Group, expressed the company's commitment to deepening its footprint in China and developing the electric and digital transformation together with Chinese partners.
"China is not only the largest market for new energy vehicles (NEVs), but also an innovation hub with industry-leading companies and an advanced NEV supply chain," said Kallenius, adding that he believes the Chinese market will continue to grow and play a leading role in industry innovation.
At the forum, Zheng Shanjie, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, pledged a series of measures to accelerate the development of new high-quality manufacturing forces, including upgrading traditional industries, promoting emerging industries and cultivating future-oriented industries, explaining that this will help create great opportunities for enterprises at home and abroad.
The global CEOs at the forum were also impressed by China's efforts to open up its market. Soriot said he has seen China's determination to attract and exploit foreign investment in recent years.
Kim Fausing, President and CEO of Danfoss, Denmark's leading energy efficiency solutions company, said that China's affirmed commitment to further opening up and improving its business environment, particularly the protection of intellectual property rights, gives them great confidence for further investment in the country.
Xinha-Wang Siyuan/gnews.cz-JaV_07
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