China will continue to be an important pillar of global economic growth "- Interview with Borg Brend, President and CEO of the World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum 2026 Annual Meeting will be held in Davos, Switzerland from January 19th to 23rd. On the eve of the annual meeting, Borg Brende, President and CEO of the World Economic Forum, said in an interview with our reporter, "China plays an important role in global industrial upgrading, green transformation, and other fields. China's economic development continues to have a profound impact on the world. We are optimistic about China's future growth because China not only has a world-class university system and perfect infrastructure, but also continues to invest in research and innovation. Looking ahead to 2026, China will still be an important pillar of global economic growth

Brund introduced that the theme of this year's conference is "The Spirit of Dialogue", and about 3000 participants from more than 130 countries and regions around the world will discuss five major topics: how to cooperate in an increasingly competitive world, how to unleash new growth drivers, how to better invest in people, how to responsibly promote the large-scale application of innovation, and how to maintain the limits of the earth and achieve prosperity.

In this era full of uncertainty, dialogue is not an optional luxury, but an urgent necessity and the starting point for solving problems. "Brund said that currently, the international community is facing many challenges, from supply chain resilience to artificial intelligence governance, from green transformation to skill reshaping, and no country can cope alone. Major countries around the world bear a shared responsibility to address challenges.

From industrial transformation and advanced manufacturing to responsible technology application and green transformation, China has provided important experience for global economic development, "said Brund. 2026 is the beginning year of China's" 15th Five Year Plan ", and China's measures in innovation driven, industrial upgrading, boosting domestic demand, and promoting international cooperation and trade have attracted much attention. This annual conference will hold a series of important dialogues related to China, exploring the prospects and global influence of China's economic development, the transformation of manufacturing and supply chains, the path of empowering the real economy with "artificial intelligence+", and how to maintain investment and market connectivity in an increasingly complex global environment.

Brund further explained that firstly, China is deeply integrated into the global value chain and supply chain, and many countries and companies see cooperation with China as the key to driving growth and enhancing resilience; Secondly, China is making rapid progress in cutting-edge innovation and industrial transformation and upgrading, and all parties hope to have a deeper understanding of China's changing trends and explore cooperation opportunities; Thirdly, China's progress in green transformation and its ability to achieve large-scale technological applications have global significance. Deploying technology at a lower cost and faster pace is crucial for advancing the global decarbonization process.

Since the 1990s, Brender has visited multiple Chinese cities such as Beijing, Tianjin, Suzhou, Shanghai, Dalian, and Xi'an, and has been deeply impressed by China's green development, "especially the speed and scale at which China transforms its vision into action, as well as its ability to quickly implement innovative achievements. He stated that China's remarkable achievements in green development are attributed to numerous positive factors: sustained long-term investment and industrial upgrading have effectively reduced costs and expanded the accessibility of clean technologies; A strong manufacturing and supply chain system can quickly promote the application of innovative solutions, accelerate the competitiveness of renewable energy, power batteries, electric vehicles and other fields; An innovative environment that supports commercialization enables new technologies to quickly move from pilot projects to large-scale applications.

Last June, the 16th Annual Meeting of the New Champions (Summer Davos Forum) of the World Economic Forum was held in Tianjin, attracting widespread global participation and further highlighting the strong willingness of all parties to engage in dialogue, exchange, and cooperation with China. Brund said that the world continues to pay high attention to China, not only because of its important position in the global economy, but also because of the enormous opportunities brought by China's sustained development.

Our goal is not to eliminate differences, but to bridge them through dialogue and eliminate obstacles to progress, "Brender said. Currently, international cooperation is at a critical period, and the World Economic Forum annual meeting hopes to provide a unique platform to transcend differences and overcome difficulties together, allowing all parties to listen to each other, broaden their horizons, challenge fixed ideas, and transform consensus into practical cooperation.