# Many Multinational Giants Cast "Votes of Confidence" in China

“Trust” is especially precious this spring. Currently, ongoing geopolitical conflicts, rising trade protectionism, and obstacles to global economic recovery are causing profound and complex changes in the international situation. China, with its long-term efforts, provides considerable certainty for global economic development, and this certainty has earned the trust of many multinational giants.

From March 22 to 23, at the China Development Forum 2026 Annual Meeting hosted by the Development Research Center of the State Council, numerous international business leaders repeatedly mentioned the development opportunities contained in China’s 14th Five-Year Plan, expressing their commitment to continue “investing in China.”

“This is a hub of comprehensive innovation”

Michael Neilsen, President and CEO of Amway Global, a regular attendee of the China Development Forum, is visiting for the 17th time this year to share stories about Amway and China.

Neilsen believes that China’s “14th Five-Year Plan” elevates the “Healthy China” initiative to new heights, injecting strong momentum and vitality into the health industry. This reveals a large, resilient, and diverse domestic consumer market with immense potential.

Amway is implementing a five-year, 2.1 billion yuan investment plan, driven by its impressive performance in the Chinese market. China is Amway’s fastest-growing and best-performing market, with an average annual compound growth rate of 6% over the past five years, marking a transition from “priority in China” to “leading in China.” Neilsen said, “Behind this leap are two core advantages of China: first, a globally leading advanced manufacturing system that ensures reliable supply chains for Amway worldwide; second, a vibrant collaborative innovation ecosystem that continuously fuels R&D breakthroughs.”

After the forum, he will visit Shenzhen, then head to Amway China’s headquarters in Guangzhou, and also attend the signing ceremony of Amway’s first self-owned organic farm outside the Americas in Chengdu. “This is not just a business investment; it’s a ‘vote of confidence’ in China.”

PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Ramon Laguarta has visited China multiple times. He said each visit deepens his appreciation for the partnership built with China.

“Our story of development in China is not just about scale but about transformation and evolution,” Laguarta said. He added that the success of PepsiCo’s China team further strengthens his confidence in continuous investment and co-development with China. This confidence is rooted in a fundamental fact: China is one of the most dynamic consumer markets globally, and consumption is the core engine of China’s economic growth. The “14th Five-Year Plan” explicitly emphasizes boosting consumption.

He emphasized that for PepsiCo, China is not only a crucial growth market but also a hub of global innovation. Many innovative products inspired by Chinese traditional food culture and consumer insights have successfully entered other Asian markets, as well as the US and Europe. “China not only drives our growth but also shapes our global future.”

In the eyes of multinational giants, China’s labels are constantly changing—no longer just the “world’s factory” or “massive market,” but increasingly recognized as an “innovation hub.”

Siemens Healthineers CEO Meng Tianqi, participating for the first time in the China Development Forum, said that when he first came to China in 2000, it was because of the vast market and a desire to “help build a better healthcare system.” This time, he came “to seek inspiration,” to understand what Chinese academic institutions care about, and to learn from the local innovation ecosystem to support Siemens Healthineers’ development.

If one phrase could describe today’s China, Meng Tianqi believes, “It is a hub of comprehensive innovation.”

Similar stories are shared by Bosch Group. Chairman Stefan Hartung said that every visit to China makes him feel the vibrant vitality of this market—new technologies are rapidly implemented, products quickly reach the market, and various industries develop at high speed. “This is one of China’s prominent development advantages today,” he said. The super-large market, engineering talent, solid industrial foundation, and openness to new technologies create a very unique collaborative advantage in China.

This is especially evident in the field of intelligent mobility. China is not only the world’s largest automotive market but also one of the most dynamic. By 2025, China’s passenger car production and sales will exceed 34 million units again, surpassing the combined output of the US and Europe. Meanwhile, China is rapidly moving from electrification to intelligence, becoming one of the most important innovation highlands for automotive development in the next phase globally.

A source of global stability and progress

Dilma Rousseff, President of the New Development Bank and former President of Brazil, commented on China’s “14th Five-Year Plan,” saying that each five-year plan builds on the previous one, always based on long-term vision. This consistency and adaptability are key drivers of China’s long-term development and offer valuable lessons for other countries.

Jeffrey Sachs, a professor at Columbia University, lamented that war conflicts are pushing the world economy into a crisis, shaking its foundations. Despite the severity of the crisis, he believes China will remain stable. China is better equipped to withstand crises due to its strong energy resilience, enormous economic vitality, and robust fiscal strength.

He is optimistic that by 2026, China will continue to be a source of stability and progress globally.

“Regardless of how international circumstances change, China will always adhere to the basic national policy of opening up, unwaveringly deepen reform, and promote high-level opening up.” At the China Development Forum 2026 Annual Meeting, Han Wenxiu, Deputy Director of the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission Office and Director of the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group, reaffirmed China’s long-term commitment.

He mentioned that as a responsible major country, China actively opens its markets, increases imports of high-quality products, and provides zero-tariff treatment for 100% of tariff lines for all least developed countries with diplomatic relations. In recent years, China’s outward investment has significantly exceeded foreign direct investment, and China will continue to expand outward investment, jointly build the Belt and Road with high quality, and steadily promote the internationalization of the RMB.

Han Wenxiu said that the experience of over 40 years of reform and opening up shows that China offers a long-term, stable, and secure development environment, making it the best “safe harbor” for international capital.

Many foreign executives see the “14th Five-Year Plan” and the speeches by ministers at the forum as the most important invitation they have received this spring—“opening the door to opportunities” for us.

Alibaba Group Chairman Joe Tsai believes that if the past decades were China’s period of technological accumulation, today we are in a flowering and explosive phase. From new energy electric vehicles to breakthroughs in robotics and artificial intelligence, China is at the best moment to share technological development and achievements with the world.

McKinsey China Chairman Li Yili describes this moment as “standing at the crossroads of the era.” After attending the forum, he quickly published an essay mentioning China’s development model—will China rely on its old growth model or reshape itself and enter a new era of high-quality development? The answer is clear: “China is firmly moving toward a new era,” he said.

According to Li Yili, many CEOs attending since the first forum over 20 years ago have participated nearly every year, and their relationships span decades. These companies have succeeded in China and continue to invest heavily, while some have gradually exited as local competition intensifies. “Achieving profitability in any industry is not easy; multinational companies must adapt to the times. There will always be winners and losers in the market.”

Data shows that in January-February this year, 8,631 new foreign-invested enterprises were established nationwide, a 14% increase year-on-year, with high-tech industries seeing a 20.4% increase in actual foreign investment. Clearly, capital is increasing its focus on China’s high-tech industries, and the “innovation dividend” is accelerating.

These multinational leaders are voting with their feet—China remains the best choice. This is a story about the “future.”

Beijing, March 23.