(International Observation) Foreign investment is optimistic and "reinforces": China's economy in the "post-epidemic era" will create opportunities for the world

　　Chinanews.com, Beijing, July 17th, title: (International Observation) optimistic foreign capital "raise": the "post-epidemic era" China's economy will create opportunities for the world

　　China News Service reporter Xiao Xin

　　Although the global COVID-19 pandemic has not yet disappeared, many foreign-funded companies continue to "fill up" the Chinese market and look for opportunities.

The latest Chinese economic data for the first half of 2021 shows that after becoming the world's largest investment destination last year, China continues to maintain a strong attraction to foreign investment.

　　According to data from the Ministry of Commerce of China, from January to June 2021, China's actual use of foreign capital was 607.84 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 28.7% and a year-on-year increase of 27.1%.

From an industry perspective, the actual use of foreign capital in high-tech industries and service industries has increased significantly year-on-year.

Another latest data shows that in the first five months of 2021, 18,497 foreign-invested enterprises were newly established nationwide, a year-on-year increase of 48.6%, and more than 120 foreign-invested enterprises were newly established every day on average.

　　Robert Merton, the Nobel Prize winner in economics, publicly stated not long ago that he "remains optimistic about the future growth of China's economy" and believes that "after this epidemic, China's economic development will become healthier in the future."

The data picture shows the staff carrying packaged vaccines in the production workshop of Beijing Kexing Zhongwei Biotechnology Co., Ltd. on May 11, Daxing, Beijing.

Photo by China News Agency reporter Jiang Qiming

"Even when the epidemic has the greatest impact, the demand for digital transformation is still exerting force"

　　Another Nobel Prize winner in economics and a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States, Holmstrom predicts that in the post-epidemic era, the digital economy will rise and become popular. In the process, China has a "strong advantage."

He pointed out, “China has huge room for data accumulation. Data is the source of new wealth and a new factor of production. Especially in the artificial intelligence-led economic model, the difference in data scale means the difference in future national economic development. "

　　The recent research report released by the international research organization Gartner shows that the epidemic has not hindered or even accelerated digital transformation.

In the face of the outbreak of the epidemic, more and more businesses have to move online. The digital department of the company has played an unimaginable role, and it has also provided a strong guarantee and support for the fight against the epidemic.

As many as 82% of the CEOs interviewed believe that there is no doubt that additional investment in digital initiatives will be added.

　　Gartner breaks down the digitalization process of an enterprise into six stages.

The first stage is no digitalization at all; the second stage is the existing digital vision; the third stage is the developed digital solution; the fourth stage is the delivery of the digital solution, these four stages are called "immature stages" ".

The fifth stage is that digitization has begun to scale; the last stage is that digitization has harvested results and started to optimize. These two stages are called "mature stages."

　　According to its tracking statistics and analysis, from 2017 to 2020, the proportion of mature companies has increased from 17% to 48% year by year.

During the 2020 epidemic, the maturity level of global digitalization is still accelerating.

　　"We asked many companies, what is the impact of the epidemic on their business models?" Chen Yong, vice president of research at Gartner, analyzed to reporters that during the epidemic, the business of leading companies usually adjusted their business models in three aspects: first During the epidemic, they will make more use of digital channels to reach their customers; second, they will speed up the introduction of new products and services; finally, they will increase interaction with customers.

Among them, "digitalization" is the core variable.

　　During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Oxford Institute for Economic Research and the IBM Institute for Business Value conducted a survey of 3,000 executives in more than 50 countries and regions around the world. The results also confirmed Holmstrom’s point of view: For companies that are competitive and maintain their performance advantages, the epidemic has not stopped them from accelerating the pace of "digital transformation." Among them, the willingness and action of Chinese companies to accelerate transformation are more prominent.

　　"Even at the time when the epidemic was the most impacted last year, the demand for digital transformation of enterprises in the market is still exerting force." Mai Junyan, President of Greater China of IBM Enterprise Consulting Services, pointed out to reporters that "digital transformation" in this period is no longer just financial Hot topics in industries such as, retail, traditional catering, energy, and manufacturing have also joined them.

"We have very high expectations and trust in the Chinese market"

　　Graphcore, a British artificial intelligence chip manufacturer, recently announced its first cooperation to open up the Chinese market.

This "unicorn" company that invented the IPU processor specifically for AI technology can be called a "trendr" on the cusp of digitalization, and it is using its actions to cast a vote of confidence in the Chinese market.

　　Lu Tao, senior vice president and general manager of Graphcore China, told reporters that Graphcore’s global strategic map is currently divided into three regional markets, “China, North America and others”. “This represents the great significance of the Chinese market to us. There are very high expectations and trust."

　　Unlike the fledgling Graphcore, IBM has been deeply involved in the Chinese market for many years, and Mai Junyan can still feel the "new expectations" brought to him by the Chinese market.

"A lot of foreign colleagues asked me, your time in China has been'record breaking', why do you specialize in the Chinese market?" Mai Junyan said, "Actually, I am a somewhat idealistic person. I hope that my team will be influential. project".

　　"In China, the transformation of technological innovation has become more earth-shattering. The methods and impact of the transformation are far beyond the projects we have done in many other countries and regions." He said that participating in and verifying the transformation and growth of the Chinese market made him feel interesting. Confidence, opportunity, and value.

　　AO.

Qiu Bu, senior vice president of Smith Group and president of Chinese companies, pointed out to reporters through industry observations that China’s national advocacy for “digitalization”, “carbon peaking, and carbon neutrality” has stimulated the “kinetic energy” of corporate innovation. In the traditional home appliance industry, more and more companies have invested in technology research and development aimed at achieving green, energy-saving, smart and comfortable household products.

　　He believes that China's business environment and digital foundation will "empower" enterprises to achieve rapid transformation. These advantages encourage foreign companies to invest in research and development in the Chinese market, and are expected to enable traditional industries such as home appliances to be the first to achieve humanization in the Chinese market. , Intelligent product innovation.

"Be confident and determined to maintain high-quality development and innovation in the Chinese market"

　　What makes foreign companies cast a vote of confidence in the Chinese market?

Lu Tao pointed out to reporters that there are practical reasons to be optimistic about China's economy and digital transformation:

　　First of all, the Chinese market is undoubtedly the world's leading AI application landing area.

China has a large amount of data, various large-scale Internet companies, large-scale AI companies, creating a large number of landing scenarios, high demand and requirements for computing, and great market potential.

　　Second, China puts more emphasis on the implementation of products, and is good at making various innovative technologies into real-land mass applications, and the speed is very fast.

Mass deployment, rapid iteration, and rapid execution capabilities have made foreign markets still pay attention to technology research and development, and Chinese companies have begun to invest in technology applications.

Foreign-funded high-tech companies entering the Chinese market, by following a variety of scenarios to make rapid landing, polishing of technology and execution is very meaningful.

　　Third, foreign-funded enterprises have personally felt that in the process of digital transformation, the Chinese government has encouraged and guided many aspects such as policies, regulations, and business environment.

　　In fact, there are not a few foreign-funded companies that are equally optimistic about the Chinese market.

The "British Companies in China: Sentiment Survey 2020-2021" released by the British Chamber of Commerce in China at the end of 2020 shows that the size of the Chinese market and its importance to the global economy determine that it is still the preferred investment destination for British companies in China.

49% of British companies regard China as their preferred investment destination, and 18% of companies rank China second or third.

44% of the British companies surveyed indicated that they would increase their investment in China in 2021.

　　The "2021 Business Confidence Survey" report recently released by the European Chamber of Commerce in China also pointed out that among the surveyed companies, 73% of the companies achieved profitability last year, and about 68% of the companies are optimistic about the business prospects of their industries in the next two years. Sixty percent of the companies plan to expand their business in China this year, and a quarter of the companies are or are about to strengthen their supply chains in China.

　　A spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce of China pointed out that China’s absorption of foreign capital has achieved rapid growth since the beginning of this year, especially the substantial increase in the number of newly established foreign-invested enterprises, which fully demonstrates the recognition of foreign investors’ recognition of China’s business environment and the importance of long-term investment in China. confidence.

　　In Lu Tao's view, "True viable technology must be able to serve thousands of industries and households. This is the reason why we came to and are optimistic about the Chinese market."

　　"There are such good partners here, and there is a fast-changing industry," Mai Junyan said, "We will continue to be here and build the world of the future together."

　　"We have been in China for more than 20 years and have always been optimistic and open to the Chinese market." Qiu Bu also said, "We have the confidence and determination to maintain high-quality operation, development and innovation in China." (End)