Multiple foreign business representatives in China praised the country's continuous opening-up efforts and expressed strong confidence in China's development prospects, as a top meeting focusing on draft proposals for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) is underway in Beijing.       

The 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee convenes its fourth plenary session in Beijing, scheduled from Monday to Thursday. The centerpiece of its deliberations are draft proposals for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), the next chapter in the nation's metronomic march toward modernization, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

In interviews with the Global Times, foreign business representatives paid great attention to China's opening-up efforts.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), "a series of regulatory reforms and pilot programs, including the Foreign Investment Law and the expansion of free trade zones, have made the business environment more structured and predictable for international companies," Lorenzo Riccardi, chairman of the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

"This process has supported a gradual shift from export-led growth to an innovation- and consumption-driven economy, creating new areas for cooperation in technology, sustainability, and advanced services," Riccardi said, noting that several sectors in China show solid potential for collaboration — notably advanced manufacturing, automation, renewable energy, digital infrastructure, healthcare, and design-driven consumer goods.

Also commenting on China's progress in market opening over the past five years, and how it has created great opportunities for businesses from countries such as Finland, Juha Tuominen, chairman of FinnCham China Beijing, told the Global Times that "China's efforts at market opening are definitely welcomed by the Finnish business community."

Noting various Chinese opening-up measures such as lifting restrictions on foreign companies' participation in services such as digital platforms and healthcare, Tuominen said that "these are all great efforts toward an open market," expressing his high expectations for such efforts to be further implemented and expanded both nationally and locally in the coming years.

Meanwhile, foreign businesses are also paying close attention to new opportunities in emerging industries in China.

Over the past five years, China has made remarkable progress across various sectors, Loh Wee Keng, chairman of the Malaysian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China, told the Global Times. Loh cited examples of China's advanced manufacturing industries that have established complete industrial chains, such as the new-energy vehicle industry, which has advanced from being a "follower" to a global leader, as well as e-commerce platforms and logistics firms, which "are not only highly efficient and well-serviced but also affordable."

Malaysian companies have seized these opportunities by quickly partnering with their Chinese counterparts to introduce these technologies into Malaysia, Loh said. "Many large Malaysian enterprises have also benefited from China's wave of economic liberalization and achieved significant growth through engagement with the Chinese market," he said.

Amid growing uncertainties in the global economy, foreign businesses also expressed appreciation for the certainty and stability offered by China's five-year plans.

"In a context of rising uncertainty and protectionist pressures, long-term investment and predictable economic planning remain essential for stability and sustainable growth," Riccardi said, while describing China's five-year plans as "a structured policy framework that sets medium-term objectives that help ensure regulatory continuity and market transparency, enabling companies to plan ahead with greater confidence."

The Italian business leader also said that "such consistency (of policy framework) supports cross-border trade, technology cooperation, and green transformation, all of which are key drivers of the global recovery."

Amid rising unilateralism and protectionism, highlighted by tariffs, foreign business representatives have emphasized the importance of upholding multilateralism and open markets, while highlighting the global significance of China's opening-up efforts.

"China's continued efforts to promote openness and economic development contribute significantly to global growth," Loh said, noting that many countries, including Malaysia, prosper from trading with China due to its strong demand, while their citizens benefit from improved living standards by accessing China's high-quality, affordable products.

"China, as the world's second-largest economy, has an important, irreplaceable role in the global economy's growth. Further opening-up and full implementation of those efforts is important for global economic growth as well," Tuominen said.

Disclaimer

The China International Import Expo Bureau (hereinafter referred to as the "CIIE Bureau") cites or reposts media reports for non-commercial purposes to facilitate information sharing. Such actions do not constitute an endorsement of the accuracy, authenticity, or legality of the original content, nor do they reflect the official stance of the CIIE Bureau. All copyrights and legal responsibilities for the reposted content remain with the original publishers and authors.

If any individual or entity believes that content shared on this website infringes their legitimate rights and interests, please promptly notify us in writing, providing detailed explanations, supporting documentation, and rationale. Upon receiving such materials, we will promptly remove or rectify the disputed content or take other appropriate measures.

Reposted or cited information may be time-sensitive. Users are advised to exercise independent judgment regarding the accuracy and completeness of the content. The CIIE Bureau shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special, punitive, or exemplary damages arising from the use of or inability to use the information or links provided on this website.

The CIIE Bureau respects intellectual property rights and is committed to delivering high-quality content services within a lawful and compliant framework.