Foreign Firms Sanguine on Chinese Market

A report from chinadaily.com.cn on Mar. 11th, 2025:

Foreign companies remain steadfast in expanding their presence in the Chinese market, driven by the country’s economic vitality and an increasingly optimized business environment that bolsters their confidence, business executives said on Wednesday.

They noted that China’s efficient industrial and supply chains, coupled with its evolving innovation ecosystem, will provide a solid foundation for multinational corporations to invest and grow in the years ahead.

China will better open internet-related, cultural and other sectors in a well-regulated way and expand trials to open sectors such as telecommunications, medical services and education, according to a government work report submitted on Wednesday to the national legislature for deliberation.

Premier Li Qiang, who delivered the report at the opening meeting of the third session of the 14th National People’s Congress in Beijing, pledged that the country will encourage foreign investors to increase their reinvestment in China and support them in collaborating with upstream and downstream enterprises in industrial chains.

China will ensure national treatment for foreign-funded enterprises in fields such as access to production factors, license applications, standards setting and government procurement, said Li.

China issued the action plan in February, aiming to stabilize foreign investment this year. As part of the plan, the country will support pilot regions in implementing opening-up policies related to areas such as telecommunications, biotechnology and foreign-owned hospitals.

Sanguine on the Chinese market, an executive vice-president of a Swedish medical equipment producer, said China’s transforming business environment has reinforced foreign companies’ confidence in making long-term investments in China.

China attracted 97.59 billion yuan ($13.44 billion) in foreign direct investment in January, marking a 27.5 percent increase from the previous month, said the Ministry of Commerce.