Quotable quotes from China Development Forum

Editor's note: At the ongoing China Development Forum held in Beijing, domestic and international business leaders have shared their views on various topics, including China's further opening-up, supply-side structural reform, high-quality development and innovation, and 5G technologies. Here're some unmissable quotes from this high-level annual event.

 

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc, said on Saturday that openness is essential in forming partnerships, and thanked China for opening its domestic market to his company.

"One of the key elements of partnership is openness－being open to working together, open to new ideas, open to new solutions. We have seen China continue to change and evolve, and we are grateful that you have opened your doors and allowed us to be a part of the community here," he said.

Quoting a Chinese saying－"The fire burns higher when everyone brings wood"－Cook called for increased joint efforts from governments, educational institutions and businesses to address challenges such as poverty, inequality and climate change.

"We encourage China to continue to open up. We see that as essential－not only for China to reach its full potential, but for the global economy as a whole to thrive," he said.

Yang Yuanqing, chairman and CEO of Lenovo Group, the world's largest manufacturer of personal computers, said 5G will play a direct role in fueling the development of the digital economy and also ignite a cross-sector creativity boom.

"Traditional sectors need to pounce on the opportunities brought by 5G to upgrade themselves and create greater dividends by significantly boosting efficiency," he said.

Yang added that the "intelligent era" will be driven by three key elements－data, strong computing power and algorithms－and next-generation superfast technology will affect all three.

"About half of the 5G applications will be about its integration with traditional sectors," he said.

Dieter Zetsche, chairman of German automaker Daimler AG, said: "Over the years, I've witnessed great development and changes in China's society, economy and, of course, in its automotive industry. This is a reflection of the great achievements China has made since reform and opening-up started."

He added that the country boasts his company's youngest customer base, which is very open to new ideas and innovative technologies.

Zetsche said Daimler remained confident in and committed to the long-term development of China's economy.

"We will continue to help shape the transformation of mobility in the country," he said.

Chen Shengqiang, CEO of JD Digits, a leading Chinese digital technology company, said on Saturday that digital technology is a new technological means and a new way of thinking, which will serve as a new method to transform old momentum to new momentum, promote the long-term growth of real economy and the combination of finance and real economy, and reduce financial risks, Securities Times reported.

Chen said the ideas of "Internet Plus", "industrial internet" and "digital technology" have achieved good results in different industries.

"In our opinion, no matter what technology or concept, as long as it can enhance the long-term growth momentum of the economy, it will eventually be recognized by the market," Chen said.

At the same time, he noted in this era of connection, integration and symbiosis, whether scientific and technologic innovation or the growth of real economy cannot be separated from an open mind.

"China's digital technology enterprises will actively go global and global enterprises are welcomed to build an open digital economy with Chinese enterprises in China," he said.

Martin Lundstedt, president and CEO of Volvo Group, said all the developments provide foreign companies with more choices when investing in China.

Having been in China for more than 20 years, the Swedish manufacturer of vehicles, engines and construction equipment hopes to better tap into the country's booming e-commerce sector, and sees more opportunities resulting from the government's growing emphasis on green initiatives, sustainable development and innovation, he added.

Zhang Yuliang, chairman of Greenland Group, a global top 500 company involved in real estate, said on Saturday that urban agglomeration will have an impact on China's real estate industry, especially on the redefinition of the potential property market, finance.sina.com.cn reported.

"In the future, instead of simply dividing market growth by first-tier cities, second-tier cities, third-tier cities, fourth-tier cities and fifth-tier cities, the urban agglomeration will provide a new way of thinking for the real estate industry," Zhang said.

He proposed the construction of urban agglomeration has great strategic significance by pointing out that it accords with the law of economic development of the world's cities and can be beneficial to stimulate development momentum.

"Urban agglomeration is an important growth engine as well as the core of a region. It is also conducive to deepening reform, deepening cross-regional cooperation, breaking down closures, expanding impetus and expanding competitiveness with positive effects," Zhang said.

 

（Source：China daily）