Teamwork urged for growth

With global trade and investment flows facing mounting geopolitical and economic uncertainties, government officials and business leaders on Monday called for closer international cooperation to cultivate new drivers of global economic growth and build a more resilient development landscape.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the Global Trade and Investment Promotion Summit 2026 held in Beijing, Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng said China remains firmly committed to opening-up and stands ready to work with all parties to uphold multilateralism and open cooperation.

The summit was hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

Yolanda Diaz Perez, Spain's second vice-president and minister of labour and social economy, said the global economy needs more multilateral cooperation, cross-border investment, open trade, arguing that closer engagement between the European Union and China will support shared growth and economic stability.

Stephen Jackson, the United Nations resident coordinator in China, said as the world is facing growing turbulence, including geopolitical tensions, climate shocks and growing pressures on global supply chains, international cooperation should focus on how trade, investment, technology, finance and productive capacity can support sustainable development at scale. The UN is ready to work with China and other countries to help connect policy discussions with practical cooperation and to promote more sustainable global development.

Executives from foreign firms said China's vast market, rapid commercialization and integrated supplier networks continue to attract overseas businesses, while enabling companies to localize innovation and bring products proven successful in China to offshore markets.

That shift is becoming more evident in capital flows. Foreign direct investment utilized in China's high-tech industries rose 30.7 percent year-on-year to 102.73 billion yuan ($15.08 billion) in the first quarter, accounting for 41.2 percent of the country's total FDI, said the Ministry of Commerce.

Shen Kelei, executive vice-president of Marelli Holdings Co, a Japanese automotive parts manufacturer operating eight research and development centers and 17 factories in China, said the company will deepen its strategic presence in China in areas such as smart lighting, electronics, thermal management and intelligent cockpit technologies to better serve Chinese automakers.

Marelli will accelerate its "China for China, China for Global" strategy during the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, as the country evolves from a manufacturing base into a key global center for automotive innovation, research and supply-chain collaboration, said Shen. "China is already far more than an important market for Marelli," he said, adding that the country is increasingly becoming a hub for innovation, manufacturing and global collaboration within the group's worldwide operations.

Willie Tan, CEO of Skechers China, South Korea and Southeast Asia, said the United States-based athleisure company will continue to strengthen its localized operations across R&D, manufacturing, supply chains and retail channels, while increasing investment in China. "In product development, we combine our global comfort technologies with local consumer insights to create products tailored to Chinese consumers. And in manufacturing, we are expanding local production capacity and strengthening supply-chain efficiency to respond faster to shifting market demand," Tan said.

zhongnan@chinadaily.com.cn