Global business leaders eager to expand research, increase investment in China

Global business leaders expressed their enthusiasm for expanding research and increasing investment in China at the China Development Forum 2025.

Themed "Unleashing Development Momentum for Stable Growth of Global Economy", the two-day forum, which brought together 86 official delegates from multinational companies from 21 countries, concluded on Monday in Beijing.

The executives attending the forum are keenly interested in China's economic dynamics and development strategies, with many arriving early to gain deeper insights into China's economic policies and technological progress.

During interviews with China Central Television (CCTV), the business leaders highlighted the buzzwords in China's development.

"That's a trade-in program, and I think that's a good sponsorship for consumption," said Stefan Hartung, chairman of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH, a German multinational engineering and technology company.

"We actually have strong partnerships with DeepSeek," said Michael Nelson, president and CEO of Amway, an American company that sells health, beauty and home care products.

"New quality productive forces are really the future of China," said Jean-Pascal Tricoire, CEO and chairman of the multinational electricity company Schneider Electric.

As the business leaders seek to increase presence in the country's vast market, they specified the regions where they aim to boost their investment in China.

"For us the opportunity is to penetrate all the cities," said Anil Wadhwani, CEO of Prudential plc, a British-domiciled multinational insurance and asset management company.

"We are opening up an organic farm in Sichuan Province, and so we will have a groundbreaking of that in the next several months," said Nelson.

"The places where we invest are the places where we do R and D, where we do manufacturing," said Tricoire.

"We need icy conditions for driving on ice, so we have to be in the north, right? Wuxi businesses, in Taicang, Suzhou, in Chongqing, in many areas we build up new businesses," said Hartung.

The business leaders also expressed their aspirations to diversify their portfolio in China, actively seeking out new avenues for growth and opportunity.

"And China needs more consumption. We are increasing our lineup for the home appliances," said Hartung.

"We continue to look at anti-aging products, we continue to invest into research and development capabilities," said Nelson. "We are developing with China green hydrogen. We want to develop the supply chain of desalination in China," said Mohammed Abunayyan, chairman of the board of ACWA Power, a Saudi Arabian company on power generation and desalinated water production.

Global business leaders eager to expand research, increase investment in China

Global business leaders eager to expand research, increase investment in China

The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.

In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.

"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.

Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.

The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."

Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.

President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.

Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.

Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.

The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.

Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests