BEIJING
\n\u201cFor the foreseeable future, China will continue to be the growth engine of the world,\u201d Erik Solheim, former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations told China Economic Net in an interview. According to a government work report submitted Thursday to China\u2019s top legislature for deliberation, the country targets an economic growth of 4.5 percent to 5 percent this year and will strive for better in practice.
\nThis figure surpasses the IMF\u2019s growth projections of 3.3% for the global economy and 4.2% for emerging and developing economies in 2026. \u201cNumber is one thing, and quality is not to be overlooked. As China transitions toward high-quality development, it implies translating growth into tangible income gains, improved access to public services, and the widespread adoption of advanced technologies,\u201d Tianchen Xu, Senior Economist from the Economist Intelligence Unit told China Economic Net.
\nIn 2025, China\u2019s output of industrial robots and integrated circuits rose 28% and 10.9%, respectively, according to the government work report. Data from OpenRouter, the world\u2019s largest API aggregation platform for large models, show that the total token consumption of the top ten models on the platform has exceeded 28.7 trillion as of the end of February.
\nAmong them, Chinese models contributed over 14.69 trillion, marking the first time in history that the monthly token call share has exceeded 50%. According to Xu, while AI has been a major consumer of power, China has been rapidly expanding its electricity generation capacity over the past few years, including renewable energy.
\nThis expansion will ensure that China\u2019s AI development is supported by an adequate electricity supply. Moreover, it is likely that China will be able to offer AI services to global users at a lower cost. With this advantage, China could potentially secure a dominant or even majority share of the global AI market. \u201cAttracted by Chinese technologies, there has been a fundamental reassessment of Chinese asset over late 2024 and throughout 2025,\u201d Xu observed.
\nThe MSCI China Index rose 31.4% in 2025, outperforming global markets. \u201cMuch of this rally was driven by innovation-led themes, particularly in technology and artificial intelligence. As China\u2019s innovation ecosystem now extends beyond AI into areas such as robotics, autonomous driving, next-generation mobility, and advanced manufacturing, the momentum would continue,\u201d according to Muhammad Faran Khan, Associate Director of KTrade Securities, Pakistan.
\nThe government work report proposes to promote the commercial and large-scale application of AI in key industries and fields and support the construction of open-source AI communities. A new batch of smart factories and intelligent supply chains will also be built.
\nIn the next decade or so, China\u2019s middle-income group is likely to exceed 800 million people, representing the best application scenario for the current technological revolution and industrial transformation, according to Lou Qinjian, spokesman for the fourth session of the 14th National People\u2019s Congress at a press conference Wednesday. In 2025, total retail sales of consumer goods in China exceeded 50 trillion yuan for the first time, contributing 52% to economic growth.
\nLou revealed that that the country will formulate laws on social assistance, medical security and childcare services this year, and promote the allocation of more resources to areas related to people\u2019s livelihoods so that people are able, willing and confident to spend.
\nBernardo Mendia, Board Advisor at Young Entrepreneurs Association of the EU, Secretary General of the Portugal-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCILC) highlighted enterprises\u2019 appetite for long-term integration into Chinese value chains.
\n\u201cThe engagement of Portuguese businesses with the Chinese market is undergoing a profound maturation. We are moving past the era of simple transactional trade into a phase defined by strategic industrial presence.
\nWhile the readiness for partnership remains high, it has evolved from a general curiosity into a targeted search for technological and capital synergy. Portuguese companies increasingly recognize that to succeed in China, they must offer something truly worth buying\u2014value that is competitive not just on price, but on specialized quality and innovation,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cBeyond large corporations, the opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are expanding through digital channels. China is the world\u2019s largest e-commerce market, which allows international SMEs to enter the market with lower risk and without the need for physical presence. We see a growing niche for gourmet food products, specialized lifestyle brands, and management consulting services,\u201d Mendia said.
\nOn the Wednesday press conference, Lou said that China stands ready to strengthen communication with the United States at all levels and through various channels to create broader space for cooperation between the world\u2019s two largest economies. At the same time, China has its own principles and red lines, and will firmly safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests.
\nChinese customs data show that China-U.S. trade recorded 4.01 trillion yuan in 2025, accounting for 8.8 percent of China\u2019s total foreign trade. High value-added and technology-intensive products are now the main engines of growth in China\u2019s exports to the U.S., with electronic equipment, machinery and electrical products, and photovoltaic modules leading the expansion.
\nAccording to Xu, as the U.S. looks to strengthen its manufacturing sector, economic cooperation with China, the world\u2019s largest producer, is necessary.
\nLast month, the 20th anniversary event of the U.S.-China Commercial Matchmaking Program was held in Beijing.
\nWang Wenshuai, a spokesperson for the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) said earlier this month that the Council will continue to strengthen industrial and supply chain cooperation with the U.S. by making full use of platforms such as the China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) and the U.S.-China Commercial Matchmaking Program (CMP). He revealed the upcoming CISCE will feature a stronger presence from leading U.S. companies, along with prominent figures from business, government, and academia.
\nIn the expo\u2019s AI section, Chinese and American AI firms will share the same stage. Wang also underlined promoting cooperation between the two countries\u2019 business communities in emerging sectors including the digital economy, biopharmaceuticals, and new energy vehicles.
\n\u201cAs of now, CCPIT has approved 119 activities for Chinese enterprises to participate in U.S.-based exhibitions in 2026, of which 30 had been carried out by February,\u201d Wang said. Solheim highlighted the necessity of bilateral cooperation in renewable energy. \u201cChina, with an enormously efficient productive ecosystem, is the indispensable nation for the green transition,
\nProducing over 60% of green technologies\u2014up to 90% in solar alone.
\nIts new energy products are a global public good, aligning with the collective goal of sustainability. Any nation, including the United States, cannot achieve a green future without partnership with China,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BEIJING \u201cFor the foreseeable future, China will continue to be the growth engine of the world,\u201d Erik Solheim, former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations told China Economic Net in an interview. According to a government work report submitted Thursday to China\u2019s top legislature for deliberation, the country targets an economic growth of 4.5 percent to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":535257,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-535229","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n