Tim Cook, chief executive officer of Apple Inc, exchanges business cards with participants at the China Development Forum 2024 in Beijing, on March 24, 2024. About 400 people, including experts, entrepreneurs, government officials and representatives of international organizations, attended the opening ceremony of the forum. Photo: VCG

 
"Choosing China means choosing opportunities," He Yadong, spokesperson of Ministry of Commerce (MOFOCM) said on Thursday, when asked about the recent surge of visits by global CEOs to the country.

The spokesperson said China welcomes multinational companies to actively participate in Chinese market for further development.

The remarks came amid the background as China hosts a series of high-level events this week, attracting a good number of global CEOs. Senior officials of MOFOM also met with top executives from over 20 multinational companies such as Apple, Qualcomm and Mercedes-Benz. These multinational companies are of medicine, automobiles, food, finance, cosmetics, electronic information, chemical industry and energy. 

Multinationals from all walks of life visit China intensively to feel the "spring vigor" of China's economic recovery, which demonstrates the "strong magnetic attraction" of the Chinese market, the spokesperson said. 

China welcomes multinational companies to actively participate in the construction of a modern industrial system in China for greater inclusive development, He said. 

Executives of multinational companies have expressed their optimism of the Chinese market and vowed to continue to invest in China, He said, citing the example of Apple which will continue to increase its investment in R&D and augment its supply chain in China, and the German chemical company Wacker will continue to invest in China and support the green and low-carbon transformation of traditional industries.

Jean-Pascal Tricoire, the Chairman of Schneider Electric, said in a forum held on Monday that the company will fully leverage their digital advantages and sustainable experience and deepen the integration of digital and real industries, accelerate the dual transformation of digitalization and decarbonization, and work with Chinese partners to foster new quality productive forces.

The company said the supply chain in China has increased its overall efficiency by 8-10 percent year by year, and its overall energy consumption decreased by 13 percent compared to 2019 with the deployment of advanced digital systems and artificial intelligence technology.

China is Sanofi's second-largest market and a key driver in our global strategy. The speed and scale of the market that China provides are essential to foster investment in biomedical innovation, Paul Hudson, CEO of Sanofi, told the Global Times. 

China's significant efforts in creating a fair and competitive market environment, which provides a robust foundation and opportunities for pharmaceutical companies like Sanofi to sustain our development in China, he said.

Data from MOFCOM showed that in the first two months of 2024, the number of newly established foreign-invested enterprises increased by 34.9 percent to 7,160 in China.

China continues to connect the world with a higher level of opening-up. "Choosing China means choosing opportunities, and investing in China means investing in the future," He noted.

Global Times