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Representatives from global enterprises share views on China's development

chinadaily.com.cn2023-03-22 10:27

[Photo/CDF website]

  The China Development Forum 2023 will be held in Beijing from March 25 to 27. CDF is an important conversation platform among high level officials from Chinese government bodies, leaders from the international business circle, and organizations and scholars from home and abroad. It is the first national level international forum following the conclusion of the two sessions and has been held 22 times since its launch in 2000.

  This year, focusing on the theme of "Economic Recovery: Opportunities and Cooperation", CDF has invited representatives from global enterprises to share their ideas via CDF Voice, a column of the CDF website.

  Let's take a look at some of their views on opportunities and cooperation against the background of China's economic recovery.

Jacob Kam, CEO of MTR Corporation [Photo/CDF website]

  In the past three years, China has ensured a relatively stable life by taking precise measures for pandemic prevention and control, therefore has achieved an average annual economic growth rate of about 4.5 percent, higher than the world average of 1.8 percent.

  Looking ahead to 2023, the global economic recovery still faces huge challenges. China's modernization drive, which is recovering from the pandemic and external impacts, must aim at high-quality development, with growth focus on both quantities and quality. I firmly believe that all of us will continue to work hard, move forward boldly and create a brighter tomorrow.

  With the completion of the construction of backbone rail transit networks in cities, sustainability of rail transit infrastructure has emerged as a daunting challenge for all operators and local governments. MTR Corporation, one of the few rail transit companies in the world that is able to sustain profitability, is willing to work with governments at all levels and industry peers to contribute to the sustainable development of rail transit systems and the high-quality growth of the overall Chinese economy.

Christophe Weber, CEO of Takeda [Photo/ CDF website]

  Takeda is a global, values-based, digital biopharmaceutical company committed to developing and delivering life-transforming treatment options to patients globally.

  In China, we have seen significant progress toward accelerating access to these treatments. I'm confident in China's commitment to improving the health of its population and believe that this is a critical part of the country's successful modernization efforts. Better health for people is Takeda's purpose and we're very pleased that three Takeda medicines – two in oncology, one in rare disease – were added to the 2022 National Reimbursement Drug List.

  In fact, we're on track to launch more than 15 innovative medicines by 2025. We look forward to continuing our work in China to ensure that patients who need our medicines have access to them.

Christian Mumenthaler, CEO of Swiss Re [Photo/ CDF website]

  China has embarked on a great journey of modernization with great opportunities both in terms of economic growth as well as business development. At the heart of any such great transformational endeavor is "resilience". That means being prepared for crisis situations, having the ability to recover and face new challenges, and to be able to preserve what is valuable while innovating. Even more importantly, it means being open for collaboration to address the issues we all face and, in doing so, helping to make our world and our society more resilient.

  As one of the leading reinsurers in the world, Swiss Re also needs to be resilient and able to adapt quickly. These strengths enable us to provide a whole range of products and services, from re/insurance protection through to insights to expertise for the benefit of our Chinese clients and partners. As one of the first foreign reinsurers in China, we take great pride in our longstanding relationships and remain strongly committed to this dynamic market.

Toshiaki Higashihara, president of Hitachi Manufacturing [Photo/ CDF website]

  In China, for more than 40 years since Hitachi's first office was set up in Beijing in 1979, we have consistently focused on China business and expanded our business in line with China's development direction. Today, Hitachi is active in China with sales of 70 billion yuan; 136 companies and 50,000 employees in a wide range of fields including social infrastructure, IT and automotive equipment; and strong ties with China.

  As the world is exposed to various changes such as environmental problems and pandemics, it is increasingly necessary to shift to a "sustainable society".

  In order to realize this, Hitachi promotes social innovation businesses that solve various social issues by utilizing "IT (Information Technology)", "OT (Operational Technology)" and "Products".

  Going forward, driven by digital and green innovation, we will continue to contribute to China's high-quality society construction and develop our business in China meticulously.

Hans-Paul Bürkner, global chair emeritus of BCG [Photo/ CDF website]

  As we all know, the past year has been a challenging one, as China has been grappling with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, despite the adversity, China has displayed remarkable resilience and has shown the world what can be achieved through determination, innovation and collaboration. China will remain a key growth driver of global economy.

  China's vast market and ongoing economic reforms will keep providing ample opportunities for foreign and domestic companies alike. This year, BCG celebrates more than 30 years of operation in China. As the first leading consulting firm licensed to be present in China, BCG has brought to life innovative, transformational ideas with a lasting impact on our clients and partner ecosystems and we are committed to making greater impact over the next 30 years in China.

  As China's economy becomes more innovative, talent-intensive, consumption-driven and green, four powerful forces have emerged that are profoundly shaping our path forward.

  The first is sustainability, which entails pursuing a high-quality development model and a greener, more balanced and more resilient economy. The second is digitalization. The third is talent development. The fourth is supply chain optimization.

Roy Gori, president & CEO of Manulife [Photo/ CDF website]

  As the world's second-largest economy, China's modernization offers many opportunities for foreign companies around the world, including ours.

  At Manulife, we recognize the importance of China and Asia to Manulife's global business, having sold our first policy in Shanghai in 1897. Since then, we've celebrated the 26th anniversary of Manulife-Sinochem, the first foreign joint venture life insurance company in China.

  In those 26 years, we have expanded our footprint to more than 50 cities across China, developing successful partnerships with local government, businesses and universities.

  At the end of 2022, we also became the first foreign asset manager to convert its joint venture into a 100 percent-owned public fund management company in Chinese mainland. This further demonstrates Manulife's strong conviction and long-term commitment to the region.