Global Times: Invest in China, invest in future: Foreign business leaders discuss opportunities in China

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May 27, 2025, 12:12 ET

BEIJING, May 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, Chinese President Xi Jinping has replied to a letter from the founder of the Danish Chamber of Commerce in China, encouraging the chamber and its member enterprises to make new contributions to enhancing China-Denmark and China-Europe friendship and deepening mutually beneficial cooperation. China has been and will remain an ideal, secure and promising destination for foreign investors. Believing in China is believing in a better tomorrow, and investing in China is investing in the future, Xi said in the letter.

On May 22, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade hosted the Global Trade and Investment Promotion Summit 2025 in Beijing. The event brought together over 800 participants, including representatives from foreign governments, international organizations, foreign commerce chambers and trade promotion agencies, and Chinese and foreign enterprises. The People's Daily interviewed the leaders of six foreign chambers of commerce in China to hear their perspectives on the opportunities China offers.

US firms view China as positive market

On May 12, China and the US released a joint statement on China-US Economic and Trade Meeting in Geneva. Michael Hart, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in China (AmCham China), said that the chamber believes the US and China should continue to trade, and it looks forward to finding ways to cooperate.

Hart said that AmCham China has over 800 member companies in China, which believe the Chinese market has potential and hope to reach as many customers as possible in China. American companies still view China as a positive market and look forward to continuing trade with China, Hart said. US companies should remain in China for two key reasons: first, the Chinese market continues to grow and its scale cannot be ignored; second, China is continuously innovating, and businesses want to be able to see these innovations and participate in it, he noted.

On April 25, AmCham China released the 27th edition of its American Business in China White Paper. The white paper pointed out that escalating tensions in US-China relations have been the top challenge for American companies in China for five consecutive years, surpassing compliance risks and competitive pressure from Chinese firms. Still, nearly half of the surveyed companies rank China among their top three global investment destinations.

Hart believes there is significant potential for US-China cooperation. China has advantages in advanced manufacturing and supply chain infrastructure, while the US has robust industrial strengths and wants to continue to export to China. Both sides need each other. Finding proper ways to cooperate serves the mutual interests of both sides, enabling businesses and consumers to continue to benefit, Hart said.

Speaking of artificial intelligence (AI), Hart said that AI is the intersection of innovation between the two countries. Both countries have said that they want to find ways to cooperate. In this field, the world urgently needs to the US and China to find a path for cooperation because this technology may reshape almost all industries.

Hart also emphasized that global supply chains are intricately interconnected, not only between China and the US but worldwide, adding that cooperation remains crucial for the world. He expressed hope that the US and China can reach consensus through negotiations and the two sides will lower tariffs as much as possible and expand opening-up.

French firms eye long-term devt in China

Since its founding in 1992, the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China (CCI France Chine) has been committed to promoting China-France economic and trade cooperation. Currently, it has offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, with over 1,700 member companies, the second-largest in terms scale among the CCI France's global network, said Rémi Paul, president of CCI France Chine.

Paul noted that French companies invest in diverse sectors in China, and member companies are involved in aviation, energy, finance, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, and more. These include traditional manufacturing as well as modern services and high-tech industries, with investments increasingly balanced, expanding from coastal regions to inland areas.

Paul highlighted that French companies in China prioritize long-term development. Many member companies have operated in the country for decades, achieving commercial success, while participating deeply in China's economic and social development. Their localization efforts have intensified, establishing comprehensive R&D, production, and sales systems in China. As the global economic situation shifts, more member companies are adjusting strategies to seize new opportunities from China's consumption upgrades, digital transformation, and green development, Paul added.

Having operated in China for many years, CCI France Chine agrees with the statement that "believing in China is believing in a better tomorrow, and investing in China is investing in the future." Paul said that this vividly captures the immense potential of the Chinese market and the broad prospects for China-France economic relations.

Over the past 60 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, enterprises from the two countries have created many examples of cooperation in the fields of aviation, energy and consumer goods. The success of French enterprises in the Chinese market fully demonstrates that "investing in China is investing in the future."

Paul emphasized that in today's complex global environment, the importance of China-France economic cooperation is even more pronounced. Both nations have consistently upheld an open and inclusive spirit of collaboration, setting a model for international economic and trade cooperation.

Looking ahead, CCI France Chine expects China to continue to promote high-level opening-up and create a better business environment for foreign-invested enterprises. CCI France Chine stands ready to continue to play a bridging role, promote the two countries' enterprises to deepen cooperation in new areas such as scientific and technological innovation and low-carbon development, and jointly write a new chapter in China-France economic and trade cooperation.

A critical market for many German firms

The German Chamber of Commerce in China has around 2,000 members in China, and is supporting Chinese-German business succeed through professional services and a strong network, according to Martin Hofmann, chairperson of the German Chamber of Commerce in North China.

Many German companies have been operating in China for decades, establishing deep roots in the market. China's vast market size and strong innovation capabilities make it a critical market for many German firms, Hofmann said, adding that while recent China-US trade tensions have affected their business sentiment, over half of German companies plan to further invest in China, particularly in R&D and innovation.

Faced with changing market dynamics and geopolitical uncertainties, German companies are accelerating their localization process in China, Hofmann said, noting that 75 percent of member companies focus on localization, with localization levels reaching between 75 percent and 100 percent. This phase involves building new, intelligent supply chain systems, with AI playing a pivotal role, he said.

Currently, breakthroughs have been made in the application of innovative fields such as AI, big data, biotechnology, quantum computing, and electric vehicles, providing new opportunities for the global business community to cooperate.

Hofmann, also an executive vice president and board member of Volkswagen (China) Investment Co, said that German companies, especially in the automotive sector, need partnerships, adding that cooperation should expand from joint production to lifting the level of cooperation. For example, in the process of rapid technological development, new technologies such as AI, digital twins, and driverless cars are deployed, which are the new blue ocean for Germany-China cooperation.

China is also a leader in innovation, and many member companies plan to or have already cooperated with local companies to combine their high-quality products and solutions with China's speed of innovation. Meanwhile, China's focus on high-quality development, low-carbon transition and innovation offers valuable opportunities for German companies, and the Chinese market is critical for enhancing German companies' global competitiveness, Hofmann said.

Danish firms full of confidence in China

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Denmark. President Xi's reply to the Danish Chamber of Commerce in China is not only a great honor for the chamber, but also for the Danish business community, said Simon Lichtenberg, the all China founding chairman of the Danish Chamber of Commerce in China.

Danish companies in China are full of confidence in deepening their presence in the Chinese market, and the chamber will play a bridging role and actively provide advice and suggestions to the Danish and Chinese governments, Lichtenberg said.

Having lived and worked in China for over 30 years, Lichtenberg has witnessed the transformative changes brought about by reform and opening-up. In recent years, China has focused on high-quality development, and has shown good development momentum in the fields of manufacturing infrastructure, supply chain, automation and talent. Lichtenberg believes that no other country matches China's advantages in efficiency, quality, and talent across most manufacturing sectors.

Lichtenberg has also witnessed steady improvement in China's business environment, with the commercial legal system constantly improving, the scale of manufacturing constantly expanding, and the negative list of market access constantly shrinking. Amid complex global dynamics, China, as a responsible major power, plays a stabilizing role, promoting cooperation among countries and regions and encouraging all countries to participate in cooperation.

Lichtenberg said he opposes anti-globalization practices, hopes Denmark-China ties will get better and better, and believes that only by working together can the world develop better.

"China is a very important market for European businesses. We are confident in this market in the long-term and will continue our commitment to it, serving as a bridge between China and Denmark, and China and Europe," Lichtenberg said.

Most important market for many Japanese firms

The Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China (JCCIC) was established in October 1980, and was the first foreign chamber of commerce in China. According to Tetsuro Homma, president of the JCCIC, a recent survey showed that 58 percent of member companies plan to significantly increase, increase or maintain their investment in China in 2025.

Additionally, thanks to the Chinese government continuous efforts to optimize the domestic business environment, 64 percent expressed "satisfaction" or "high satisfaction" with China's business environment, marking an improvement from the previous year.

This is mainly due to the fact that China is opening its door wider and wider, the negative list for foreign investment in the manufacturing sector has been cleared, and the pilot program for opening up the service industry has been expanded in an orderly manner. A fair, competitive environment has also improved, with 79 percent of Japanese companies reporting "equal or better" treatment compared to domestic firms, according to Homma.

He also noted that relevant departments of the Chinese government attach great importance to the development of foreign-invested enterprises in China. The Ministry of Commerce has held many meetings with foreign-invested enterprises to inform them of the progress of relevant policies and listen to their requests. The survey showed that 53 percent of Japanese companies regard China as "the most important market" or "one of the three most important markets," which shows that Japanese companies have a firmer strategic positioning in the Chinese market and will continue to attach importance to the Chinese market in the future.

Homma believes that China has four irreplaceable advantages: a highly complete industrial and supply chain system, with companies like Panasonic having over 6,000 suppliers in China; an excellent innovation environment, with notable achievements in AI and new energy; a deep pool of technical R&D talent; and a vast and highly promising consumer market.

Homma said that the JCCIC will support member companies in two areas of investment in China: First, energy conservation and environmental protection, where Japan's decades of green technology experience can contribute to China's "dual carbon" goals; Second, health and elderly care, where Japan's expertise can support China's silver economy.

A priority investment destination for Australian firms

The Australian Chamber of Commerce in China (AustCham China), which was founded in 1996, currently has about 200 member companies, and has become the biggest non-governmental organization promoting Australian businesses' development in China.

Australian companies remain open to the Chinese market, Vaughn Barber, president of AustCham China said, noting that according to AustCham China's latest business report, 70 percent of Australian companies view China as a priority investment destination, with half planning to expand production and investment here.

Barber believes Australia-China economic relations are entering a new phase driven by innovation, green development, and high-value industries, which not only consolidates the advantages of traditional trade, but also opens up many emerging areas with great structural growth potential. For example, Australian and Chinese companies continue to strengthen the depth and breadth of cooperation in the field of new-energy vehicles, including the construction of charging infrastructure, battery recycling technology and circular economy solutions, so as to promote the construction of a more resilient green industrial ecosystem.

In addition, China is at the forefront in many aspects such as scientific and technological innovation, and its e-commerce platform is far ahead of Australia, providing a valuable reference model for Australian companies, hoping to learn from China and cooperate in this field, according to Barber.

The reshaping of global supply chains offers valuable opportunities for deeper Australia-China cooperation, boosting economic resilience, Barber said. Advancing resource processing and high-value supply chains is key to sustainable development. Investments in infrastructure and logistics will strengthen supply chain resilience. Australia hopes to be a reliable partner for China, providing safe, high-quality, sustainable products for each other, Barber said.

Although many Australian companies are considering diversification, 40 percent of the companies surveyed are still focusing on the Chinese market, Barber said, adding that Australia welcomes Chinese investment in high-end manufacturing, and he remains confident that Australia-China cooperation in green supply chains and new energy will expand, fostering greater investment and deeper partnerships.