Editor's Note: As China steps up efforts to boost domestic demand and drive consumption-led growth, multinational corporations are uniquely positioned to seize the opportunities presented by this transformative period. China Daily examines how these companies are aligning with China's new round of high-standard opening-up policies, embracing emerging tech innovation trends, and expanding their presence in a market that increasingly values high-quality development and upgraded consumption.

Q1 Driving domestic consumption is a top priority for China's economic growth this year. With the country placing greater emphasis on consumption-led development, how is your company adapting its products, services, or localization strategies to meet evolving domestic demand and shifting consumer preferences?

ZHOU: China's vast and robust consumer market offers multinational corporations many opportunities, fueled by diversified demand drivers and significant growth potential.

As part of our continued diversification strategy in China, and having observed growing and shifting demand for natural ingredients for functional foods, nutraceuticals, personal care products and other nonfood industrial applications, we have focused on offering premium-quality, traceable and sustainably produced plant-based ingredients. Today, thanks to our improved processing capabilities, we are successfully supplying Chinese customers with a variety of products, including lecithin, glycerin, pea protein, Vitamin E and edible oils.

BUURMA: It is clear that demand in China is evolving — consumers are increasingly purchasing online, purchasing products that are more sustainable, and purchasing products that are more functional. Covering a wide range of sectors, our trade fairs are primarily business-to-business, but many of our buyers supply to end consumers. And our buyers' purchasing behavior indicates that sustainability and functionality are top priorities for many consumers in China.

For example, sustainability is very prominent at two of our flagship fairs: Automechanika Shanghai has a huge focus on the new energy vehicle supply chain, while Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics spotlights a range of green material and process innovations. Meanwhile, products with added functionality, interwoven with sustainability, are more and more readily showcased at our home textiles and consumer goods shows.

YIN: Having operated in the Chinese mainland for 38 years, the country has become Schneider Electric's second-largest market in the world. We are pleased to see booming domestic consumption in China, which will serve as a key driving force for overall economic development.

Schneider Electric has been empowering Chinese industries to accelerate their transformation toward digitization and sustainability through our leading technologies and expertise. In particular, we support key consumer industries such as food and beverage, biopharmaceuticals, and electronics with our comprehensive digital solutions and services. This enables enterprises to enhance efficiency, save energy, and improve the traceability, intelligence, and safety of their products. As a result, we help to meet the rising Chinese consumption market demands with higher quality and greener products.

CHENG: Valvoline Global Operations, an affiliate of Aramco with a heritage spanning nearly 160 years, combines global expertise with localized innovation in automotive and industrial solutions. We closely monitor the evolving domestic demand in China, leveraging data-driven insights to provide local consumer-centric solutions and services. For example, we have tailored product features and packaging to better meet the aesthetic and functional needs of Chinese markets. To further enhance consumer engagement, we launched marketing activities that incorporate our prestigious sponsorships of F1, CBA and FIFA World Cup 2026. Our localization strategy goes beyond product adaptation. Five years ago, we opened a plant in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu province. It enables efficient and diverse production to meet market needs.

TAN: Skechers has always adhered to the principle of "In China, For China" and is confident in the Chinese market. We are committed to developing comfortable, innovative, stylish and quality products at a reasonable price, and 90 percent of Skechers China products are made in China.

Riding on China's push to revive consumer spending and tap its vast domestic market, we are keen to boost Chinese consumers' brand affinity by expanding product portfolio, elevating store aesthetics, organizing experience campaigns and intensifying localized marketing.

Looking ahead to the second half of 2025, we will intensify efforts to align with national strategic priorities and enhance the resilience of our local industrial chain, supporting China's efforts to stabilize foreign investment.

Q2 "China Travel" and "Shopping in China" have become buzzwords among international visitors, fueled by China's unilateral visa-free policies for multiple countries and a new initiative allowing eligible travelers to receive instant tax refunds. How is your business planning to innovate and capture the momentum from this trend? Additionally, how do you view emerging opportunities in areas such as green technology, the low-altitude economy, smart manufacturing, and experiential services?

ZHOU: The "China Travel" trend underlines the growing economic and cultural exchanges between China and the world, and reflects the increasing attention paid to China's progress in technology and innovation — topics of great interest to Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC).

The Chinese market is central to our growth strategy, as one of the world's largest producers and importers of agricultural goods. The country's continued reform and opening-up efforts, coupled with its focus on high-quality, innovation-driven development, have created an important bridge for foreign enterprises like LDC to engage with the domestic market.

We believe that strengthening global collaboration and fostering open dialogue across food supply chains are essential to addressing global challenges and ensuring access to food for all.

BUURMA: Since the Chinese government began implementing its unilateral visa-free policies in 2023, many of our shows in China have welcomed a significant increase in international visitors. This includes 17 percent, 29 percent and 99 percent growth at our three most recent spring and autumn editions of Intertextile Apparel, while in 2025 Toy & Hobby China saw an increase of 47 percent. As organizers, we leverage this visa-free advantage by increasing invitations to and incentives for overseas buyers, either as VIPs or as part of group delegations. Their business is extremely valuable for domestic exhibitors who use our platforms to connect with the global market.

Messe Frankfurt is always on the lookout for emerging opportunities. We aim to elevate domestic exhibitors at our new AERO Asia 2025 show in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, focusing on general aviation and the low-altitude economy.

YIN: As an "old friend" of China, Schneider Electric is very pleased to see that the high-level opening-up, represented by visa-free policies, is constantly revitalizing the Chinese market.

As one of the most local global companies and a leader in industrial technologies, Schneider Electric has long benefited from China's opening-up policies. Welcomed by this market, we have continued to invest in the region, establishing 23 factories and 7 distribution centers across the country. We have also set up five major R&D centers within China, including an AI innovation lab. Our local ecosystem continues to expand, now encompassing over 1,600 Chinese suppliers and 1,100 distributors, as well as other types of eco-partners. Leveraging these strengths, our China-innovated products and solutions not only meet the needs of Chinese customers, but also lead in the global market.

CHENG: The rise of "China Travel" and eco-conscious consumption presents opportunities for consumer-facing innovation. We are exploring local partnerships and e-commerce platforms to offer curated and eco-friendly products and services. As a pioneer in green technology, we are continually working on hydrogen fuel cells and EVs. We have been staying ahead of the curve to ensure we provide the right products to support the industry. Working with over 35 electric vehicle original equipment manufacturers for many years, Valvoline already has a full suite of products for EVs, including heat transfer fluids. Our decades-long technical partnerships also fuel industrial advancements.

TAN: In response to the rise of "Chinese tourism" and "shopping in China", we plan to capitalize on this trend by developing functional products that incorporate Chinese cultural elements and cater to travel-shopping scenarios — such as lightweight sneakers and versatile backpacks. We will enhance our presence by opening new stores in key commercial districts of popular tourist cities. For emerging sectors, Skechers is exploring sustainable innovations with a new "Our Planet Matters" collection to align with global sustainability trends and China's dual-carbon goals. Meanwhile, offline stores are introducing immersive experience zones to enhance experiential consumption and strengthen user loyalty.

Q3 AI and digitalization are rapidly transforming industries across the globe. How are your China operations incorporating these technologies to boost efficiency, improve customer experiences, or unlock new revenue streams in light of the country's push for "new quality productive forces"?

ZHOU: China's thriving digital ecosystem, powered by cutting-edge 5G, AI and IoT technologies, has created transformative opportunities for multinational companies — from developing smart supply chains to enabling seamless digital integration and connecting with tech-savvy customers.

Building on this ecosystem, LDC has accelerated its own digital transformation journey in China, including through collaboration with upstream and downstream partners, working closely to drive integration and modernization in agribusiness and helping to shape safe, reliable and sustainable value chains.

Across our production facilities in China, we are leveraging data analytics and Industry 4.0 technologies such as AI and digital twins to drive operational excellence.

BUURMA: Messe Frankfurt's role as trade fair organizers is to facilitate industry growth and market demand. AI and digitalization are transforming industries, and are therefore prevalent across most of our global trade fairs. For example, in China, Intersec Shanghai recently made its debut, strongly emphasizing AI — and IoT-enabled applications in the security and safety sector. Meanwhile, the theme at the upcoming edition of Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition, "Light for Life", focuses on lighting with human-centric, health-conscious design, and lighting that is more integrated with IoT and AIoT and more sustainable. These are just two of many examples of our trade fairs in China harnessing AI and digitalization, with platforms such as seminars and product displays exploring these themes across our varied portfolio.

YIN: The concept of new quality productive forces highlights the development of "digital productivity" and "green productivity". Digital technologies, along with applications such as AI, can further enhance digitalization, electrification, and automation. This helps enterprises elevate their intelligence levels, boost efficiency, and reduce carbon emissions. We believe that AI technology will become a critical component of new quality productive forces, providing stronger momentum for the transformation and upgrading of China's industries.

As a global leader in industrial technology, Schneider Electric believes that the true value of AI technology lies not just in advanced research, but more importantly in practical implementation that delivers measurable results.

CHENG: AI and digitalization are integral to our China operations. We are leveraging digital tools to optimize supply chain management in China, reducing delivery times and enhancing inventory accuracy. Additionally, through digital platforms, we provide personalized maintenance recommendations to Chinese customers, improving service convenience and loyalty.

By analyzing big data from vehicle maintenance records, we identify market trends and develop targeted product offerings, unlocking new opportunities in China's growing automotive aftermarket. At our Zhangjiagang plant, we use these tools and predictive analytics to optimize manufacturing processes, increasing efficiency and reducing costs. By embracing new quality productive forces, we are not only improving our internal operations, but also creating new business models that open new revenue streams, such as data-driven services and digital-only product lines.

TAN: Skechers improves efficiency and customer experience in China by leveraging digital technology. Our logistics center in Taicang, Jiangsu province, has implemented semi-automated intelligent equipment and algorithms to enhance warehousing and distribution effectiveness.

Practical solutions are utilized throughout the entire industrial chain, encompassing all aspects from production and warehousing to logistics and sales, to enable precise tracking and effective management. At the same time, by using big data tools to accurately identify consumers' preferences, the brand effectively targets its audience, driving service optimization and uncovering new growth opportunities through technology.

Q4 China is stepping up efforts to promote high-end manufacturing, the digital economy, and upgraded services. In this context, is your company planning to increase investments, establish new partnerships, or expand R&D capabilities in China? What are the core objectives of your long-term strategy in the Chinese market?

ZHOU: China's dynamic market and progress in innovation create a favorable environment for multinational companies, driving the development of new quality productive forces, enhancing business competitiveness and giving LDC confidence to invest in and grow alongside China in the long run.

We will strengthen our core merchandising capabilities through strategic investments and partnerships. We have expanded oilseed crushing operations with new plants in Guangdong and Jiangsu provinces in recent years, boosting supply while supporting local economies.

We will continue to expand and diversify downstream to offer high-quality, value-added products. The establishment of our R&D center in Shanghai in 2023 underscores our commitment to innovation, focusing on developing nutritious and sustainable food, feed and ingredient solutions for both domestic and global markets.

BUURMA: Messe Frankfurt's core objectives in China remain giving international exhibitors access to one of the world's biggest markets, giving domestic exhibitors platforms to attract international buyers, and facilitating global innovation exchange across industries.

We consistently monitor high-potential sectors to see where we can strategically expand. In that regard, we are establishing a new joint venture office in Zhuhai to leverage the general aviation industry and low-altitude economy going forward, and to prepare for our upcoming show AERO Asia, which will feature booths, physical aircraft displays, and fly-ins across 40,000 square meters, and an expected 30 percent growth in international exhibitors.

YIN: The advancement of high-end manufacturing, digital economy, and upgraded service exemplify China's accelerating shift toward high-end industrial development. This transformation will further optimize China's industrial structure and enhance its overall competitive edge.

Schneider Electric is committed to empowering the transformation and upgrading of key industrial areas. For instance, to boost high-end manufacturing development, we established the "Automation China R&D Center" in Wuxi to further promote software-defined open automation and facilitate the green and digital-intelligent development of manufacturing. For digitization, we set up the "China Software R&D Center" and an AI innovation lab in Beijing, continuously launching AI-enhanced products and end-to-end solutions to empower traditional industries' digital transformation.

CHENG: China is one of the most important markets in our global strategy. Valvoline Global Operations is committed to long-term investment and development here. We plan to increase investment in local R&D facilities to develop products that continue to meet the demands of the evolving Chinese market and establish strategic partnerships with domestic automotive manufacturers and service providers to jointly develop new products and solutions, share resources and expand our market reach. Our long-term goal is to be the most preferred, innovative and trusted lubricant partner for Chinese businesses and consumers, driving growth through innovation, sustainability, and strong local collaborations, while contributing to China's high-end manufacturing and digital economy development.

TAN: The robust development of China's consumer market offers significant opportunities for Skechers' business growth. We will continue to innovate by focusing on consumer needs, optimizing product design and distribution channels, and increasing investments in niche markets such as outdoor activities, kids' products, and professional sports. To better meet the needs of Chinese consumers and provide higher-quality services, Skechers has continuously increased its investments in China.

The second phase of Skechers' China logistics center is being built in Taicang, Jiangsu province. The total investment for the whole logistics center project will exceed 3 billion yuan ($417 million).