Global business leaders have reaffirmed their commitment to investing in China for win-win results as they see vast opportunities arising from China's innovation-driven high-quality growth and development.
Chinese President Xi Jinping met with representatives of the international business community in Beijing on Friday morning. More than 40 global chairmen and chief executive officers of foreign businesses as well as representatives of business councils attended the meeting.
In an interview with the China Central Television after the meeting, Amin Nasser, president and CEO of Saudi Aramco, spoke highly of China's support for foreign investment, as well as its stability, predictability, and growth opportunities, which have created a win-win scenario for both multinational companies and China's development.
"We are honored that we had the opportunity to meet face-to-face with President Xi. It is definitely always a privilege. And we heard his insights and views on different aspects, but especially on the support that is extended for foreign direct investment in China and how China is further opening up to facilitate more investment and more growth. It's a win-win for both the multinational companies, as well as the development of China. It fosters stability and predictability. It's an oasis of certainty in a global environment. We need China's stability, certainty and predictability that we are seeing, to help the world to grow the economy and create all of these great opportunities for these multinationals, all of them, with their investment and grow their business. It is the demand that we see in China, the growth, the ecosystem, the innovation, the technologies that is helping all of these investment to come to China," said Nasser.
Sean Stein, president of the U.S.-China Business Council, said that meeting with Xi has firmed up their confidence in the long-term investment in China, and that they feel reassured about China's commitment to continuously improving its business environment.
"Today's meeting has really left a deep impression and is a very rare opportunity. He (President Xi) said, 'investing in China is investing in the future'. And I think that's the way most companies are seeing China right now, that investments now will be something that will grow over many, many years. It's not an investment for one quarter or one year. As we talk to many companies about what are their real challenges in China, and it's things like cross-border data transfer, it's things like IP (intellectual property). So, for global companies to hear the president say, 'we understand your issues, we understand your problems and we are committed to helping resolve them', that's a very reassuring message. I think the companies came here, came here very hopeful," said Stein.
Georges Elhedery, CEO of HSBC, highlighted the bank's 160-year history in China, emphasizing its role as a bridge connecting Chinese companies with foreign businesses.
"I shared our experience in China with a 160-year history in China. I shared also the role we play as a bridge to connect Chinese companies, the fact that China is a priority market for us, that we continue investing in China, and that we see this as a great opportunity especially with the higher-quality growth and development," said Elhedery.
At the meeting, Xi reiterated China's commitment to the fundamental national policy of opening up to the world, while stressing that China is advancing high-standard opening up and taking solid steps to expand institutional in terms of rules, regulations, management, standards and others.
"China's door will only open wider. The policy of welcoming foreign investment has not changed and will not change," said the president.
"What President Xi described today is many opportunities as we look to the future of China. He reiterated his commitment to innovation, to green economy, to reform and opening. We feel very much in sync with the priority of high-quality development, because this is what Schneider Electric supports," said Jean-Pascal Tricoire, chairman of Schneider Electric.
Margarita Louis-Dreyfus, chairperson of Louis-Dreyfus Group, praised China's long-term vision, solid growth, and strong policy support, which provide certainty for foreign businesses and people worldwide.
"China has the longest way of thinking of the future. And what also President Xi said, 'the tree to grow needs to have deep roots'. And China has these deep roots, and it gives certainty to all of us foreign businesses and also people around the globe hope that they will find solutions to some challenges. Today, to listen to President Xi was also important for me, for the future, of course. For more than 50 years, we do business in China, we witness the amazing development in China, how the government really improves the lives of people and the environment. It's unique. We feel, of course, this support already since many years and this is why we are growing very strongly in China," said the chairperson.
Vincent Clerc, CEO of A.P. Moller-Maersk, a Danish multinational shipping and logistics company, highlighted the significance of meeting with President Xi, noting that it conveyed an inspiring message about China's commitment to deepening reforms, expanding opening-up, and ensuring a level playing field for all companies.
"This open dialog has a lot of value and will help us make informed decisions for the future of our many activities here in China. The willingness that there is from President Xi to continue the necessary reform, to continue to propel the Chinese economy towards openness, towards more trade and also more level playing field for companies to play in that market and bring it to the next level, is really something that was inspiring to hear. What we're seeing in China today is the highest of all the large economies. It has been so for quite a while. There is still an enormous potential in the Chinese economy that the current policies seek to unlock, and we look forward to playing whatever role we can play in order to bring that about," said Clerc.
Global business leaders reaffirm commitment to investing in China for win-win results
Global business leaders reaffirm commitment to investing in China for win-win results
Global business leaders reaffirm commitment to investing in China for win-win results
