‘China Opportunity 2.0’ brings innovation and investment dividends to the EU and all global partners in an era plagued by supply chain decoupling and trade barriers

At the opening plenary of the 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos, which was held in Dalian, Liaoning province, on June 24, Chinese Premier Li Qiang referred to “China Opportunity 2.0”. This year marks the start of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) for economic and social development. The plan has not been formulated only for domestic development; rather, it is an element of contemporary China’s policy of openness to the world. It is also related to global innovation cooperation based on China’s economic development practices. It is evident from the Chinese path to modernization that innovation drives development and shapes the future. This has shown the resilience of China in the face of geopolitical changes. Thanks to the implementation of innovative policies during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period and earlier five-year plan periods, China has proved to be among the economies most resilient to various global fluctuations such as unilateralism and protectionism.

On the one hand, understanding these processes is important, particularly for European Union politicians trying to resolve the Ukraine crisis and torn by internal disputes over relations with the United States and NATO countries in Europe. On the other hand, this understanding applies to opinion-forming bodies, including the media, because they help shape the messages that reach practically everyone. European countries would better embrace “China Opportunity 2.0” — through positive ties with China — to tap their development potential, rather than fabricating “China Shock 2.0” to justify their inability to upgrade their economies.

It is worth noting that some clear-minded European politicians and objective opinion-forming circles have grasped the main idea regarding crisis resilience, which is based on stability, innovation, dynamism and integration. Reviewing China’s achievements in the past years, there is growing consensus that stability supports economic growth and improves people’s lives. Innovation is central to China’s position as a hub for rapidly emerging technologies, products and business models.

The growing vitality of the Chinese economy, the vibrancy of its market and the high potential of its domestic demand reflect dynamism, as evidenced in its status as the world’s second-largest economy. China’s growing openness amid rising protectionism is seen in its zero-tariff policy for 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic ties. Now, China is presenting the world, including the EU, with the message: Innovation-based development is key to China’s long-term, sustained economic success. And China is also sharing its experience with others to achieve common prosperity. In the past, China’s large market and low-cost production factors provided “market dividends” for the world. Today, through “China Opportunity 2.0”, China is sharing with the rest of the world the dividend from its innovation through technological advancements and industrial upgrading. The combination of these dividends creates greater opportunities and potential for growth worldwide.

“China Opportunity 2.0” therefore holds practical significance for the EU. It is hoped that the “innovation dividend” can also be beneficial for EU economies and societies.

For enterprises around the world, “China Opportunity 2.0” also means an overall strengthening of innovation and investment opportunities with a high return. An increasing number of foreign enterprises have come to China to establish research centers and regional headquarters and to integrate deeply with China’s innovation and industry chains. This is a clear transition from “made in China” to “created in China”. It is estimated that in 2025, 14,000 foreign-funded enterprises were established in research and technology services, up 27.2 percent year-on-year. Are there or can there be EU entities among these companies? Of course, yes. EU companies can quickly find partners throughout the process, from R&D to prototyping to mass production, making innovation easier and more efficient. This not only helps companies succeed in the Chinese market but also increases their global competitiveness. It should be borne in mind and understood that success in the Chinese market is synonymous with the opportunity of global success. China’s fast-growing innovative enterprises can generate returns for investors around the world. For global development, “China Opportunity 2.0” means more accessible advanced technologies and widespread results.

China has an open approach to innovation. Many of its innovations are open-source. This enables more countries, especially developing countries, to access new technologies and products, increasing their capacity to develop and addressing some of the challenges that hold back global development. EU countries should pay special attention to this, because if they distance themselves from China, they also distance themselves from one of the major hubs of innovation. China serves as an innovative reference to the rest of the world. The EU can learn from it in a more cooperative and positive way.

China, as an innovation leader, has another important message: Technology has never developed so quickly before, but the risk of losing control is increasing. That is why China’s proposal also applies to global innovation management. Artificial intelligence has greatly increased the efficiency of innovation, and breakthroughs are occurring across all frontiers. But the risk of losing control and making ethical mistakes is also increasing. That is why joint management, and not the creation of barriers to cooperation, is important.

China has unequivocally proved that it supports deepening connectivity and cooperation to build greater synergies for innovation. In this new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, no country or company can succeed alone. A connected global market enables a more efficient flow and allocation of inputs and significantly reduces innovation costs.

Does the EU want to distance itself from these proposals? The answer should be no. Therefore, the more it taps into “China Opportunity 2.0”, the more benefits there are for the global community. Representatives of the business world who accompany the heads of state from some European countries visiting Beijing know this. China’s growing competitiveness in advanced manufacturing, clean energy, AI and robotics creates new opportunities for multinational companies.

The author is a professor at the Faculty of Political Science and Journalism at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poland.