"Not a one‑way street": global business leaders welcome "China 2.0" as cooperation over rivalry
Premier Li Qiang's concept — cooperation and synergy, not competition; market entry gives way to ecosystem building; Chinese scale plus European technology. Experts warn: companies not transitioning to EVs risk becoming "zombies" in a market that no longer exists.
As reported by CCTV+, at the Summer Davos forum, global business leaders welcomed the "China: Opportunities 2.0" concept proposed by Chinese Premier Li Qiang, noting that it emphasises cooperation, reciprocity and mutual growth rather than rivalry, as Beijing seeks to attract more foreign investment. Li presented this updated vision of China as a land of opportunities for global investors at the opening plenary of the 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian.
Jean‑Charles Van Den Branden, head of the global sustainability practice at Bain and Company, said: "This 'opportunities 2.0' concept is not a one‑way street. It is not about competition, but rather an opportunity for cooperation and finding ways to strengthen positions." He also warned: "If companies do not transition to electric vehicles, they risk what we might call zombification: they end up last in a market that no longer exists. So this competition may also trigger change and a kind of industrial revolution that we will see on many of these markets."
Jack Chan, chairman of EY China, said that China's continued high‑quality opening‑up will be crucial as global companies seek to jointly build a global ecosystem. "We are talking about how to create opportunities for local market development. This means a shift from entering the domestic market to creating it. Building a true global ecosystem means going beyond supply chains and connecting markets, capital, talent, and also regulatory compliance," he said.
Svein Tore Holsether, President and CEO of Norwegian chemical company Yara International, emphasised the importance of cooperation: "It is about creating synergies — how we can benefit from scale, given the size of the market here in China, while combining it with the technologies we have developed in Europe. It is about cooperation. We must be prepared for geopolitical tensions to persist. So it is about strengthening value chains for production as well as shortening supply chains. Trade is important. Trade is key to sustainable development. But it is also about building stronger local supply chains, both here in China and in Europe and around the world."
Summer Davos (Annual Meeting of the New Champions) has been held in China since 2007. In 2026, the Dalian forum brought together more than 1,700 participants from 90 countries. The "China: Opportunities 2.0" concept was presented by Premier Li Qiang as an evolution of the approach to foreign investment — from simple market access to joint creation of a global ecosystem. Key topics included electrification, sustainable development and strengthening supply chains. The business leaders' remarks showed that the business world is ready for cooperation despite geopolitical challenges.
When China's premier speaks of "opportunities 2.0" and business leaders from around the world applaud, it means the global economy is looking for a new language. Not of competition, but of cooperation. Not of closed doors, but of open ecosystems. And when a Norwegian chemical giant wants to combine Chinese scale with European technology, and consultants warn of the risk of "zombification" for those who fail to keep up with change, the world receives a signal: the future lies not in trade wars but in synergy. China is offering not just a market — it is offering partnership. And the world seems ready to say yes.
