TEDA Remains Top Destination for Multinational Investment, China Development Forum Ignites Investment Momentum

With the theme “Unleashing Development Momentum for Stable Growth of Global Economy”, the China Development Forum 2025 ran from March 23 to 24 in Beijing. The forum brought together domestic and international government officials, experts, scholars, executives from Fortune Global 500 companies and leading industries, as well as heads of international organizations. The forum sent a clear signal that China will unswervingly promote high-standard opening-up, welcoming companies from all countries to invest in China. Multinational executives also expressed their strong confidence in the future of the Chinese market.

As a gateway for China’s opening-up, TEDA has grown over the past 40 years into a top investment destination for foreign investors in China. Many multinational corporations have started from TEDA to expand their footprint in China, achieving win-win results for both business growth and regional development. Let’s explore these heavyweight investors that participated in this year’s forum and their strategic expansion in TEDA.

This year’s forum attracted 86 foreign representatives from 21 countries, including executives from global giants such as Apple, Samsung, Mercedes-Benz, Nestlé, and Otis. Notably, among these multinational corporates, industry giants like Samsung, Nestlé, Otis, Schneider Electric, Cargill, and Standard Chartered, have set up strong business in TEDA and will continuously expand their investments here.

Otis, a global leader in the elevator and escalator industry, entered the Chinese market in 1984 by establishing a joint venture in Tianjin. It has steadily expanded its investments in both Tianjin and China. With major manufacturing bases and R&D centers settling down in China, the company has invested in TEDA its single largest manufacturing facility worldwide and Otis North China R&D center. Judy Marks, Chair, Chief Executive Officer and President of Otis Worldwide Corporation said, “China is our single largest elevator and escalator market. As China is emerging, Otis China had the opportunity to emerge.”

Growing with giant investors like Otis, TEDA has developed into one of China’s best national-level development zones in terms of economic aggregate, comprehensive investment environment, and globalization level. As of the end of 2024, TEDA had 6,531 foreign-funded projects from 97 countries and regions, with an actually utilized foreign investment of $70.412 billion. Among these, 601 projects were invested by 124 Fortune Global 500 companies. In 2024, TEDA’s GDP reached RMB 258.1 billion, growing by 5.8% year-on-year. This strong economic performance further reinforces the confidence of multinational corporations in deepening their presence in TEDA.

China is accelerating the development of new quality productive forces, which injects strong momentum into high-quality domestic economic growth and creates unprecedented opportunities for foreign investors. Participants at the forum noted that China’s innovation ecosystem has been improving, yielding a steady stream of achievements. They deeply appreciated the immense growth potential of the Chinese market.

Laurent Freixe, CEO of Nestlé, attended the forum and said that China’s ongoing institutional opening-up and proactive integration into high-standard international trade and economic frameworks have strengthened Nestlé’s confidence in further investing in China. He expressed Nestlé’s commitment to bringing more high-quality, healthy, nutritious, innovative, and sustainable products to Chinese consumers.

Jean-Pascal Tricoire, Chairman of Schneider Electric, expressed in his speech that Schneider remains committed to the China-Hub business strategy and ensures that its technological innovations benefit the world. He noted that China’s cultivation of new quality productive forces is not only driving the rise of the nation’s emerging and future industries, but also transforming and upgrading traditional industries.

In recent years, multinational corporations continued expanding their operations in TEDA with a strong focus on technological innovation. So far, Schneider Electric has established a smart factory and an intelligent manufacturing innovation center in TEDA, while Nestlé operates two factories, four production bases, a product innovation center, and a quality assurance center here. Both Nestlé and Schneider Electric are excellent examples of technological innovation and intelligent transformation, aligning closely with TEDA’s industrial development and driving mutual growth.

TEDA has long adhered to its Technology-Driven Development Strategy, forging a path where technological innovation and industrial innovation go hand in hand. This approach has cultivated competitive industrial clusters in automotive and high-end equipment, next-generation information technology, new chemical materials, pharmaceuticals & healthcare, etc., continuously driving the industrial value chain towards both ends of the “smile curve”. In 2024, TEDA’s annual R&D expenditure exceeded RMB 10.1 billion, with an R&D investment intensity of 4%, ranking the top in Tianjin. Its business-friendly environment and strong support for technological innovation have turned TEDA into a powerful magnet for global capital. The area is now home to 17 foreign-funded R&D institutions and over 40 digital workshops and smart factories. These figures serve as a mirror that reflects TEDA’s vibrant industrial growth and dynamic innovation ecosystem.

The deep-rooted practice of multinational corporations to TEDA is a testament to their strong confidence in TEDA’s business environment and growth potential, as well as their trust in China’s commitment to advancing opening-up and fostering market opportunities. Looking ahead, TEDA will embrace a more open stance, an enhanced industrial ecosystem, and robust innovation capabilities, working hand in hand with multinational investors to drive high-quality regional development.