Foreign firms ride strong growth arc

China saw 70,392 new foreign-invested companies established last year, a year-on-year increase of 19.1 percent, according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce.

In February, German optics company Zeiss kicked off construction of Zeiss Greater China headquarters campus in Shanghai, marking the largest single infrastructure investment that it has ever made in China.

Andreas Pecher, president and CEO of Zeiss Group, said: "This marks another significant step forward in localization in this promising land. The strategic investment is not just financial, it is a commitment to future growth in China and innovations that will benefit the world."

The new campus is positioned as a key global innovation hub, which will enhance its research and development capabilities, foster closer collaboration with local customers and partners, and accelerate the development of new technologies.

Oliver Oehms, chief representative of the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce Beijing, said that future Sino-German economic relations should not be defined by zero-sum competition, but by "mutual success driven by innovation".

He noted the strong, complementary potential in areas like biopharmaceuticals, smart manufacturing, digital transformation, green and sustainable development, and education and vocational training.

The supersized domestic market, anchored by a middle-income group now exceeding 400 million people, continues to exert powerful gravitational force. Multinationals across sectors noted that China's consumption upgrade trajectory — from basic goods to premium, health-conscious, and experience-oriented products — offers growth opportunities increasingly scarce in mature markets.

"The market is massive in scale and very diverse, from top-tier cities to lower-tier cities that are also growing in wealth with advanced demands," said Hubert de Haan, senior vice-president and chief sales and marketing officer of BSH Home Appliances Group Region Greater China.

"Chinese consumers are eager to try new things and have high demands for innovation. For BSH, China is an important place to be. We need to be here because this is the global powerhouse of home appliances and it's a huge market where we need to be successful. With the competencies and capabilities that we gain here, we can also win in other parts of the world," he said.

"The high acceptance of innovation in China and the level of opening-up are a good push to speed up our innovation cycles. With our innovation center here, we attract the best engineers and suppliers to develop products and bring the innovations to global markets," he added.

This confidence has been met with active policy reinforcement from the Chinese government. As 2026 unfolds — the inaugural year of the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30) — Beijing is sharpening its focus on creating a first-class business environment.