Multinational companies remain optimistic about their long-term development and investment in China, especially following China's recent release of more supportive measures to stabilize and optimize foreign investment, said a global accounting advisor.
Mark Harrison, head of KPMG China's multinational company channel, made the comments in an interview on the sidelines of the 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, or the Summer Davos, in northeast China's coastal city of Dalian.
Harrison said that from his experience serving and surveying multinational enterprises, the Chinese market means stability to foreign investors.
"In recent years, we've talked a lot with our clients about what strategy to adapt, adopt for your China business? Do you make acquisitions? Do you consider leaving China? There's been many surveys conducted in recent years where probably the number one concern for most multinationals is market access, level playing field. These always come out as concerns that multinationals have. Multinational companies at the moment, they see China as a very stable and reliable market to operate in. I think this can attract more investment, again, given this stability that is perceived of China," he said.
The business services professional also dismissed the widespread media narrative that multinationals are pulling out of China, saying that runs counter to his personal experience.
"I have many Chinese friends, colleagues, clients who ask me about this question. And they hear or understand that many multinationals are considering leaving China. I know anecdotally, it's not true from the work that we're doing, but we in the survey I mentioned that we did last year, I mentioned 75 percent said they were considering investing, only 1 percent said they were considering a China exit. Generally speaking, on the rare occasion that we see an exit, it's normally part of a global strategy to exit a business unit. So it's not about China. It's about part of the business. So we've got a multinational who, for example, wants to sell business unit A globally, including China. Actually, to be honest, it's very rare that it's due to a geopolitical reason," Harrison said.
Multinational firms stay in China due to stable, reliable environment: business advisor
Villagers in east China's Dezhou City shared their personal stories of rural transformation with President Xi Jinping during his inspection trip on Wednesday, expressing gratitude for the policies that have modernized farming and boosted household incomes.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visited Dezhou in Shandong Province, where he received a warm welcome from residents. During the trip, he spoke with grain growers and villagers about agricultural production and rural development.
At Dongyujia Village, the president toured farmland, learning about the local wheat harvest, corn planting, and agricultural supplies. He emphasized the importance of improving farmland infrastructure and making agriculture more productive and resilient.
One of the villagers who spoke with President Xi said the conversation left a deep impression on him.
"I'm overjoyed. I told him I'm a farm machinery operator with two farm machines and four tractors at home. I also mentioned I usually work around the local area," said Song Zhijie.
Having operated machinery for decades, Song described how modern equipment has transformed his work.
"I've run farm machines for 20 years. Old tractors were weak and crude, leaving us muddy and worn out. Higher farm equipment subsidies let us buy modern machines with air-conditioned cabs and Beidou navigation, making work effortless," he said.
President Xi has called for solid measures to advance the modernization of agriculture and rural areas. In Dezhou, high-standard farmland is turning that vision into reality. For local farmers, the benefits are clear: better land, stronger harvests and higher incomes.
Producing more than seven million tonnes of grain each year, Dezhou is one of China's major grain producing regions.
During the visit, Xi also stressed the importance of building a beautiful and harmonious countryside tailored to local conditions.
In nearby Xiyujia Village, he visited villager Shi Yanyun and her family, where he learned about their daily lives, family income, children's education and the health of elderly family members.
Shi said she was impressed by how closely the president's questions were related to everyday life in the village.
"President Xi asked if we wanted city lives. I prefer the countryside. Land transfers let us take local nearby jobs. We have cheap, fresh greenhouse veggies, clean villages and easy transport," said the villager.
Xi's visit, Shi said, reflects his concern for rural revitalization policies and the well-being of ordinary families.
"I thought he'd focus on national issues, yet he cared deeply about our daily lives. He felt like a warm family elder," she said.
Local residents say the visit has further encouraged them to work hard, improve their lives and contribute to the continued development of their community.
Villagers share life improvements with President Xi during his inspection to Dezhou
