CDF 2025: Global business leaders express confidence in China's future

Business leaders from some of the world's largest companies – including Apple CEO Tim Cook and Cargill CEO Brian Sikes – are in Beijing for talks with Chinese officials during the ongoing 2025 China Development Forum.

This trip marks Cook's first visit to China this year as the American phone giant looks to increase investment and business opportunities in the Chinese market, reported China Daily.

In a further push to encourage investment, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade said the smartphone maker is welcome to deepen its cooperation in China as the country continues to provide broader opportunities, even as the council's chairman Ren Hongbin met with the Apple CEO on Sunday.

China will continue to open up at a higher level, said Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng during a meeting with global executives on Sunday, adding that he welcomes multinational companies to expand investment in China and deepen mutual benefit and win-win results.

Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao met with Oliver Zipse, chairman of the board of management at BMW AG on Saturday, according to a statement released by the Commerce Ministry.

During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on topics including the German carmaker's cooperation with China and the EU's anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese electric vehicles (EVs).

Wang said that China hopes to work with the European side to become a pillar of the multilateral trading system, injecting certainty and stability into the world. The Chinese market remains committed to opening-up, and China's policies are consistent, Wang said, noting that the Chinese government will advance high-level opening-up and optimize the business environment.

Zipse said that Europe's green transformation cannot be achieved without cooperation with China. The company remains optimistic about China's economic prospects and is confident in its development in the market, he said, adding that the company opposes the EU imposing additional tariffs on Chinese EVs and hopes that both the EU and China can resolve their differences.

(With input from Xinhua)