AT the opening plenary of Summer Davos 2026, Chinese Premier Li Qiang delivered a landmark keynote speech that redefined the narrative of China’s economic trajectory. Highlighting the real essence of its economy, Premier Li underscored the value of manufacturing capacity, export diversity and modernization driven by innovations, digitalization and artificial intelligence. Crucially, he strongly rejected Western narratives of a “China Shock 2.0,” warning of the dangers of lagging AI governance and replacing it with “China Opportunity 2.0” as a catalyst for global economic recovery and a strong call to boost international cooperation in innovation.
As the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) period begins, the Chinese economy has undeniably demonstrated stability, vitality and deep integration with the world. Maintaining strong resilience and positive momentum, its stability provides much-needed certainty and serves as an essential “safe haven” in an increasingly fragmented global landscape. Premier Li outlined the fundamental economic and production variables that are attracting growing inflows of foreign direct investment: the vastness of China’s consumer market, a deep pool of high-quality engineers and professionals and the provision of sustainable industrial supply chains. These elements mark the beginning of a new era of quality development, directly supporting the forum’s theme, “Innovating at Scale.”
The gathering itself validated this confidence. With over 1,700 participants from more than 90 countries and regions, the forum focused on China’s next-phase economic trajectory and how to translate technological advances into real economic benefits. This strong turnout reflects global trust in China’s innovative economy, digitalized manufacturing and green transformation a collective drive to boost regional and global growth amid immense uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, economic protectionism, trade wars and unstable supply chains.
Indeed, “investing in China is investing in the future,” as human survival, quality industrialization, eco-friendly progress and economic sustainability all hinge on new innovations. The strategic shift from “produce in China” to “create in China” is accelerating, creating a new economic equilibrium, reforming manufacturing into a connecting hub and diversifying exports. This offers ample, mutually beneficial propositions for all. Premier Li also assured a pursuit of high-quality development driven by innovation and industrial integration during the 15th Five-Year Plan, achieved by strengthening research on key core technologies. Since its inception in 2007, Summer Davos has evolved into a premier global event, convening the next generation of “new champions” to exchange views on industry trends, observe China’s development, and inject confidence into the world economy. Premier Li highlighted China’s AI sector, which has experienced “explosive growth,” noting that multiple Chinese large language models have achieved performance breakthroughs. Replacing the politically hyped “China Shock 2.0” with “China Opportunity 2.0,” he presented a vision of innovation-driven development, economic globalization, and international cooperation, broadening access to advanced technologies and sharing the benefits of development more widely.
Realistically, innovation has become China’s new calling card. Breakthroughs in AI, new energy and advanced manufacturing offer valuable insights to the world, with practical applications like new-energy vehicles (NEVs), 5G/6G networks and industrial robots continuously entering the global market. The backbone of this ecosystem a comprehensive industrial system, a massive market, high-quality engineers and high density application scenarios is attracting an increasing number of multinational corporations not just to set up production lines, but also to establish research and development laboratories in China.
A highlight of the forum’s opening day was the release of the “Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2026.” This hotly discussed list identifies key technologies poised to shape industries, policies and society over the next five years, including everything-to-grid energy, direct lithium extraction and personalized mRNA cancer vaccines. The list showcases China’s excellence, entrepreneurship and enterprise-level mastery of innovations in digitalization, AI and quantum technologies, shaping a better future for the country and the world.
The 2026 Summer Davos agenda is both practical and forward-looking, built on five key themes: shifting trade, China’s next chapter, technology in the real economy, jobs for the next generation and the energy transition as a source of competitiveness. These integrated themes directly correlated with the most pressing global challenges, combining a clear sense of purpose with a global perspective. It holistically responds to the pressures of unilateralism and protectionism, captures the new drivers of China’s high-quality development, examines the impact of technological change on labor markets and confronts the global consensus on green, low-carbon development.
In summary, Summer Davos 2026 stands for the elimination of trade barriers and for de-politicizing, de-weaponizing and de-overstretching the concept of national security on economic and trade issues. Through international cooperation, economic globalization and innovation, China continues to expand both its institutional and market opening. The evolution of its innovation model will undoubtedly influence growth across Asia and beyond, creating immensely beneficial, mutually reinforcing propositions. China has become a champion of new-energy vehicles, green transitions and quantum technologies, fostering new smart industries from smart manufacturing to AI-powered agriculture. The successful holding of Summer Davos further showcases the nation’s economic resilience, manufacturing diversity, smart technology effectiveness, investment allure and business-friendly policies.
The rapidly changing geopolitical & geo-economic trends have also elevated the scope, role, utility and importance of the Chinese macro-economy which has been further enhanced and verified upward by the IMF, World Bank and many other international organizations vividly reflecting Xi’s wisdom of Global Development, Security, civilisation and governance initiatives along with shared development. Ultimately, China’s path is pro-quality development, pro-AI governance, pro-modernization, pro-openness, pro-digitalization and pro-green transformation a path whose benefits it is committed to sharing with all.
—The writer is President, the Centre for Knowledge and Public Policy, Regional Expert: China, CPEC, BRI & World Affairs.
