The world's "Cornerstone of Certainty" and "Harbor of Stability"

Li Xin-yi, Chen Shang-wen, Wang Xu-qhen, People’s Daily reporters

From March 22 to 23, the 2026 annual meeting of the China Development Forum will be held in Beijing. Representatives from international organizations, Fortune Global 500 multinational companies, and the global business community will gather to conduct in-depth exchanges on China’s new “14th Five-Year Plan” development blueprint for “the 15th Five-Year Plan,” new measures for opening up to the outside world, new opportunities for global cooperation, and more. Participants generally believe that in the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, China’s high-quality development will continue to unleash growth and cooperation potential, injecting momentum into global economic growth. China will steadfastly and unswervingly expand high-level opening-up to the outside world; empowering global development through its own development, it serves as the world’s “foundation of certainty” and “harbor of stability.” All sides will continue to cultivate the Chinese market more deeply, increase their investment and deployment in China, and move in step with China.

“A stable force and core engine for global stability and growth, trade, and technological change”

As the first major national-level international forum held after the two sessions of the National People’s Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the theme of this year’s annual meeting is “China of the ‘15th Five-Year Plan’: high-quality development and co-creating new opportunities.” Over the two-day schedule, 13 thematic seminars and numerous closed-door meetings are held in quick succession. Guests discuss topics including macroeconomic policy and high-quality development, new trends and new opportunities in consumer growth, global green low-carbon transition and sustainable development, technological innovation and future-industry development, and the digital and intelligent transformation of manufacturing, among others—casting “votes of confidence” for China’s development prospects.

“In the past nearly 30 years, I have visited China multiple times and witnessed China’s tremendous achievements.” Tim Cook, Chief Executive Officer of Apple, said that with every visit, one can deeply feel China’s spirit of innovation and vitality in creating, adding that “Apple is confident in China’s outstanding development achievements and remains committed to working together and cooperating.”

“China is entering a brand-new stage of development and will shape the next era of global growth.” said Eike Qizhi, Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of HSBC Group. China’s economy is unleashing strong momentum in emerging industries and has the strength to achieve even greater breakthroughs. Chinese companies are accelerating their pace of “going global,” and growth in foreign direct investment is strong.

John Quirch, President and Executive Vice President of Duke Kunshan University in the U.S., believes that China’s achieving growth of around 5% for many consecutive years is highly remarkable in a context where the global economy faces many uncertainties.

“China is one of the world’s most important markets, with a highly dynamic innovation ecosystem.” said Zipsze, Chairman of BMW Group. In the second half of this year, BMW will launch its next-generation vehicles in the Chinese market, which will be BMW’s most locally developed product in China. BMW and Chinese partners have engaged in deep cooperation from research and development to the supply chain to the digital ecosystem, demonstrating confidence in the development of China’s industries.

Mårten, President and Chief Executive Officer of ABB Group, said that China has already built the world’s largest renewable energy system with the fastest development; the share of installed capacity from renewables has increased to about 60%, and China plays an important role in the global industrial and energy landscape.

“China is a stable force and core engine for global stability and growth, trade, and technological change.” said Rossef, President of the New Development Bank. High-quality development has become a distinctive feature of China today, indicating that China is shifting toward growth centered on new quality productive forces, innovation, sustainability, and resilience.

“To provide certainty and predictability for long-term growth in the global economy”

When asked about expectations for cooperation between China and the rest of the world, many overseas guests said their answers point to the “Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan.”

“‘The Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan’ sends clear signals that China is focusing on innovation-driven development, new quality productive forces, and sustainable development. In the context of rising uncertainty in the global economy and faster conversion of growth momentum, China provides certainty and predictability for long-term growth in the global economy.” said Winston Turner, Executive Chairman of Standard Chartered Group. By accelerating innovation and the development of the digital economy, further optimizing its economic structure, and continuously expanding high-level opening-up to the outside world, China will create more opportunities for the world in areas such as trade and investment and financing.

Jord, Chief Executive Officer of Rio Tinto Group, said that the “Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan” has drawn a clear roadmap for China’s high-quality development, innovation, and technological development.

said Jeffrey Massa, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Medtronic, “During the ‘15th Five-Year Plan’ period, China will focus on advancing high-quality development driven by innovation and sustainable development, promoting the deep integration of new quality productive forces with real-world demand. Medtronic will continue to cultivate China in depth, rely on a full value-chain presence in China, make sustained investments, and deepen cooperation.”

Zhao Guohua, Chairman of Schneider Electric Group, believes that the deep integration of China’s energy transition with digital and intelligent technologies such as artificial intelligence will provide strong momentum for socio-economic development and industrial upgrading, and also bring Schneider Electric broad room for development.

“PepsiCo’s confidence in continuously investing in China comes from the fact that China is one of the most dynamic consumer markets in the world.” said Long Jiade, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo. “The Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan” clearly states the need to “adhere to expanding domestic demand as the strategic cornerstone,” which aligns very closely with PepsiCo’s business focus.

Gao Qiaoan, Chief Executive Officer of Tapestry Group, said that China’s robust market vitality, advanced digital infrastructure, and high-quality talent resources enable the group to work closely with partners to continuously explore innovation in areas such as products, experiences, and faster go-to-market models.

Michael Nielsen, Global President and Chief Executive Officer of Amway, said that “The Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan” emphasizes “the close integration of investing in things and investing in people,” and calls for “accelerating the building of a Healthy China.” With China’s services consumption continuing to grow and new consumption trends such as the silver economy emerging continuously, it creates new opportunities for enterprises.

“Opening up unprecedented market space and cooperation opportunities for enterprises in China and abroad”

Guests believe that China is committed to being the world’s “foundation of certainty” and “harbor of stability,” continuously expanding high-level opening-up to the outside world, and joining efforts with all parties to make the global trade-and-economy pie bigger.

“The certainty of the China market is the foundation for companies to invest in China.” said Xu Xinxiong, Chief Executive Officer of ThaiCels Group. The group firmly believes that investing in China is investing in the future, and it has always regarded China as one of the most important markets in global strategy. From a long-termism perspective, it continues to deepen its presence in China.

“The continuity and predictability of China’s policies themselves are a scarce resource in today’s world.” said Kelei, Chairman of the Executive Board of BASF Group. BASF will continue to deepen its China-focused plans, working hand in hand with partners across China’s industrial chain upstream and downstream to jointly seize development opportunities brought by the green transition and technological innovation.

From March 23 to 24, Siemens held its first Technology Conference in Beijing. “China is demonstrating strong development vitality and is playing an increasingly important role in the global innovation ecosystem.” said Boliren, Chairman of the Board of Siemens, Chief Executive Officer and President of Siemens. China has continued to optimize the business environment for foreign-invested enterprises and has sent positive signals to the global business community. An open policy environment, together with strong innovation momentum and abundant talent resources, has opened broad space for German companies to deepen cooperation with China and achieve growth.

Zou Jiayi, President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, said that the “Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan” will inject confidence into China’s future development, and will also make a positive contribution to the industrialization process of developing economies worldwide and to the provision of global and regional public goods.

Hedai, President and Chief Executive Officer of Wacker Chemie AG, said that the “Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan” proposes “actively expanding independent opening-up” and “creating a transparent, stable, and predictable institutional environment,” indicating that China will embrace global cooperation with a more open posture, creating abundant opportunities and more stable expectations for multinational enterprises. “China will continue to expand openness unswervingly and advance high-quality development. It will continue to play the role of a ‘stability anchor,’ providing the world with precious confidence and certainty for its economic development.”

“The global geopolitical landscape is undergoing profound adjustments, the momentum for economic recovery is weakening, and China’s economy has shown valuable stability and leadership.” said Zou Jun, Chairman of KPMG China. During the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, through systematic institutional design, China will better coordinate the effective enhancement of the quality and the rational growth of quantity. It “will create unprecedented market space and cooperation opportunities for enterprises in China and abroad in areas such as high-level opening-up to the outside world, innovation cooperation across industrial and supply chains, and green low-carbon transition.”

People’s Daily (03rd Edition, March 24, 2026)