Published on: 2026-09-14
Source: People’s Republic of China — Translation
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According to the latest data from the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, in the first seven months of this year, the number of newly established enterprises with foreign capital in the country increased by 4.4% year-on-year, and the volume of actually utilized foreign investments in high-tech industries grew by 32.7%. In the first half of the year, nearly 4,800 foreign companies increased their investments in China. The role of foreign enterprises in the country’s economy is gradually shifting from the model of “manufacturing in China” to the model of “research and development in China.”
Executives of many foreign companies note that the combination of market potential, human resources, and government policy, as well as new opportunities emerging within the framework of the 15th Five-Year Plan, attract more and more foreign investors to joint development with China.
The German company Carl Zeiss has been operating in China for 69 years. Martin Fischer, President and CEO of ZEISS Greater China, noted that the development of China’s presence in the global economy went through three stages: first, the country became a market, then it formed a powerful supply chain—with factories built and research divisions deployed—and now it has entered the stage of joint innovation, not only for itself but for the entire world.
A similar trend is observed at ABB Robotics. The president of the company’s Chinese division, Han Chen, stated that ABB’s research team in the country numbers about 300 people. China is ABB’s largest robot market in the world, and the Chinese research and development center, together with the Swedish one, forms the company’s “double center.”
This year, China continues to provide political support to foreign investors: the “Catalogue of Industries Encouraged for Foreign Investment (2025 Edition)” directs overseas capital towards advanced manufacturing and high technology sectors, while the “Action Plan for Stabilizing and Improving the Quality of Utilization of Foreign Investment” addresses issues such as cross-border data transfer, enhancing investment convenience.
Han Chen noted that research and development in Shanghai are faster and more flexible than in Sweden. Martin Fischer called China the world’s leading innovative country. In his opinion, in many areas the growth dynamics of China are exponential—and participating in this, he said, will be truly exciting.
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