The 2024 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions, or Summer Davos will be held from June 25 to 27 in northeast China's coastal city of Dalian with the main theme being the "Next Frontiers for Growth," according to a press briefing in Beijing on Tuesday.
Established by the World Economic Forum in 2007, the event is held annually in China, alternating between the two port cities of Tianjin and Dalian.
The meeting is back in Dalian after five years. The first Summer Davos was held in the industrious city in 2007, and this year will mark the 8th time the city has hosted the event.
More than 100 senior political leaders, from around 30 countries and regions will participate in the meeting. "The 2024 Summer Davos will be held at the Dalian International Conference Center from June 25 to 27. Over 1,600 leaders and innovators from business, government, civil society and international organizations will gather in Dalian to explore a way forward for sustainable development of the global economy around the theme of 'Next Frontiers for Growth'," said Chen Shaowang, mayor of Dalian.
The meeting will run about 200 activities and over 50 livestreaming sessions open to the public, including the Opening Plenary, the China Economic Outlook and Cooperation in a Competitive World. "We have designed nearly 200 activities around the theme, focusing on six major topics: China and the world; entrepreneurship in the age of artificial intelligence; new frontiers for industries; investing in people; and connecting climate, nature and energy," said Chen Liming, Greater China chairman of the World Economic Forum
Pan Jiang, director-general of the Department of International Cooperation with the National Development and Reform Commission, expressed his hope that the story of China and its economic situation, modernization drive and high-level opening-up will reach more ears through the meeting. "The annual meeting is expected to highlight China's impressive economic and social progress, as well as its commitment to high-level openness. The 2024 Summer Davos will also present the international community with the opportunities arising from China's modernization journey," said Pan.
Officials also said that the meeting this year in Dalian highlights digitalization, trade and cultural exchanges and green transformation. There will be 520 new energy vehicles handling guest reception during the event.
2024 Summer Davos in east China to explore next frontiers for global growth
A total of 190 talented young people from different countries, with an average age of 22, demonstrated their professional skills and innovative abilities in the category focused on new quality productive forces during the second Belt and Road International Skills Competition held in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality.
The competition took place from Monday to Wednesday and attracted nearly 600 skilled professionals from 61 countries and regions. The event was aimed to provide a platform for talented youth to communicate, exchange skills, and promote international exchange and cooperation in the field of vocational skills and to further advance the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
This year's competition included contests in areas of automotive technology and operating industrial robot systems, with over half focused on new quality productive forces. Among the 190 participants, the average age was 22, with over 95 percent aged 30 or younger, and more than 40 percent aged 20 or younger.
Tumelo, a 15-year-old from Lesotho, was the youngest competitor, participating in the industrial robot system operation event. Despite his age, he showed exceptional skills. "I feel like I'm already gaining experience. This is going to increase my chances of being accepted into better universities and actually doing well in the university," said the young participant.
Operating industrial robot systems demands proficiency in mechanics, electrical engineering, automation, programming, and artificial intelligence, making it a multifaceted skill for competitors.
"Based on this morning's results in the first phase of the competition, the contestants were generally able to complete about 80 percent of the tasks. Such a performance represents the highest level of achievements by the participants of various countries and regions," said Yang Rongjin, head judge of the industrial robot system operation event.
This year's competition included six showcase events including intelligent automobile software technology, providing participants a glimpse into the future direction of the new energy vehicle industry.
"In the past, I might not have seen or known much about this field, but through the competition, we can learn and discover more," said a Chinese competitor Ouyang Lin.
"There is a shortage of professionals in the new quality productive forces, which is a common challenge among the BRI countries. Our goal is to develop human resources and cultivate skilled talents while advancing the development of new quality productive forces," said Wang Xiaojun, deputy director of the Vocational Capacity Building Department at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.
Global young talents compete in new quality productive forces category at BRI skills contest
