A senior official of the World Economic Forum (WEF) has commended China's economy as highly competitive and full of potential for partnerships and growth.
In an exclusive interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Gim Huay Neo, managing director and chair of Greater China at the WEF, said global business leaders are showing strong interest in China's development and cooperation prospects ahead of the 2026 Summer Davos.
Officially known as the 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions of the World Economic Forum, this year's edition will be held in Dalian City, northeast China's Liaoning Province from June 23 to 25.
Themed "Innovating at Scale", the event will bring together more than 2,000 leaders from business, government, civil society and academia, as well as top innovators and members of the media, from more than 90 countries and regions, making it the largest edition ever.
The event will focus on how stronger institutions, increased capital flows and forward-looking policies can transform innovation and technological potential into economic progress, jobs and new business opportunities.
Noting this year marks the 20th anniversary of the WEF's Beijing office, Neo said the organization is always committed to deepening cooperation with China.
"China is a very important partner for the World Economic Forum. In fact, this year, we celebrate our 20th anniversary of the Beijing representative office in China, because even as China started its reform and opening-up efforts in the 1970s, there was a lot of interests from global business leaders to see how they can participate and contribute to China's development and growth. This year is also the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan. And obviously, there is a very strong appetite to look at where there are opportunities for global businesses to partner with China as it embarks on its new phase of growth," she said.
Neo also highlighted China's progress in green energy, urging other economies to draw from its experience.
"China is a very good example of how it has invested into looking at new sources of energy, whether it is in renewable energy or in battery storage, technologies integrating AI as part of a green management system to create new sources of competitive advantage. And this could also unlock new sources of growth for the economy. So there are definitely areas that we can learn from," Neo said.
Regarding foreign investment in China, Neo said there is immense potential for cooperation and consumption within the vast Chinese market.
"The Chinese economy is a very competitive economy. It also has many opportunities for partnerships and growth. So, for businesses who are looking to invest in China, I would say that there are still many areas in which there can be very positive win-win partnerships that can be forged to create a business opportunity. It is also one of the largest consumer markets that is fast growing and expanding," she said.
Chinese economy highly competitive with rich partnership opportunities: WEF official
