China on Wednesday outlined a series of initiatives aimed at translating its Global Governance Initiative into practical cooperation, with plans ranging from stronger coordination mechanisms on artificial intelligence (AI) and sustainable development to new dialogue platforms and dispute resolution. The plans were announced by Foreign Minister Wang Yi at a press conference for releasing the white paper, "More Just and Equitable Global Governance: China's Principles, Proposals and Actions."

AI Governance and Cooperation

Among the priorities outlined by Wang is the governance of emerging technologies, particularly AI. Wang said China will work with other countries to explore new approaches to AI governance that promote safe, inclusive, and beneficial development. He added that China is accelerating efforts to establish the World AI Cooperation Organization, which welcomes participation from a broad range of stakeholders and promotes the development of AI for good.

Zhou Haibing, vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, said at the same briefing that the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance will be held in Shanghai this July.

International Platforms and Regional Focus

Wang also highlighted efforts to strengthen international governance platforms, including the newly established International Organization for Mediation, which he said has already delivered early results in helping to resolve international disputes. On regional cooperation, Wang said China will seek to reinvigorate collaboration in the Asia-Pacific region and host this year's APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, with a focus on trade, connectivity, innovation, and development.

Future Dialogue Forums

To encourage broader dialogue on reforming global governance, China will host the inaugural Xiong'an Global Governance Forum later this year, bringing together people from various sectors to discuss ways to improve international cooperation. "The Global Governance Initiative seeks the common good of the international community and depends on the collective efforts of all countries," Wang said. "As long as everyone unites and takes action, the grand blueprint of the Global Governance Initiative will be translated into a roadmap and concrete results, creating a better future for humanity."

Business executives and economists said China's accelerated efforts to foster new quality productive forces are injecting fresh momentum into innovation-driven growth and creating broader opportunities for multinational companies seeking to deepen their presence in the world's second-largest economy. They made the remarks on Tuesday in Xi'an during the "CEO: Grow with China" roundtable, hosted by China Daily under the guidance of the Xi'an Municipal Government. The stakeholders highlighted that the country's transition from growth driven mainly by scale and investment to growth powered by technology, productivity gains, digitalization, sustainability and advanced manufacturing is reshaping the business landscape.

Shift in Growth Drivers

Raquel Ramirez Alexander, vice-president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China and chair of its Southwest China Chapter, noted that what is shaping China's development is the shift toward new quality productive forces. She cited a survey jointly released by the chamber and consultancy Roland Berger, which showed "signs of an uptick" in confidence among European businesses operating in China. Zhu Guangyao, former vice-minister of finance, added in a video address that China's continued push for high-level opening-up and a better business environment will provide a stronger foundation for multinational companies to grow in the country.

Innovation and Industrial Capability

Executives emphasized that China's appeal now lies in the speed of innovation rather than just market size. Rogier Janssens, president of the China unit of Germany-headquartered Merck, said the pace is fast and ambition is high, with innovation being turned into real impact. Simon Lacey, founder of Market Access X, stated that China has gone from the place to make things cheaply to the place one has to be to stay at the frontier. Economists pointed out that the deeper integration of manufacturing and innovation will be key to future competitiveness, with AI and photonic technologies playing a central role.

Corporate Strategies and Local Operations

Multinational companies are reflecting this focus by deepening their local operations. Maria Zhang, general manager of Mubea China, said the company's China operations have moved beyond assembly and sales, with its plant in Changzhou now co-developing new machine configurations for global markets. Henry Ding, president of 3M China, noted that China has become 3M's largest overseas market. He added that 3M China plans to achieve more than 30 percent growth in new product launches in 2026 compared with 2025, significantly outpacing other global markets.

Xi'an as an Innovation Hub

Xi'an, Shaanxi province, is emerging as a key inland innovation-driven hub due to its strengths in technological research, advanced manufacturing and international connectivity. George Xu, executive vice-president of Airbus and chief executive officer of Airbus China, said Xi'an is a strategic center for China's aviation industry, noting that the wings of every A320 family aircraft delivered in China are supplied by the Xi'an Aircraft Industry Group of AVIC. Arthur Huang, a member of the Expert Committee of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products, highlighted the city's highly integrated ecosystem spanning industry, academia and research.