From left to right: Frank Xu, Rio Tinto China CEO; Samantha Zhu, chairperson of Accenture Greater China; Takeshi Yoshida, president of Sony China; Zhang Ying, managing director of Dassault Systemes Greater China. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Editor's Note: This year marks a critical milestone as China concludes its 14th Five-Year Plan. To help in assessing the success of the process, we have asked multinational executives to share with our readers their insights about their business achievements in the past few years and further expectations in the years to come.
Q1 What's your view on the just-concluded two sessions? Do you expect any specific policy measures for further deepening reforms and expanding high-standard opening-up? What more should China do to create a more enabling business environment for foreign investors?
XU: The annual two sessions have become a key window for multinational companies to gain insights into China's development agenda. Over the past years, we have been encouraged by the clear and concrete policies released, which provide a strong sense of direction for China's economic future. We are looking forward to more certainties from China, and we have full confidence in its continued progress. China has been steadily advancing its high-quality development plans, with a significant focus on energy transitions. We greatly support China's ongoing efforts in this area, which are vital not only for the country, but also for global sustainability. China's 2025 Action Plan for Stabilizing Foreign Investment sent a positive signal of further opening-up.
ZHU: We believe the experiences China gained from reforms and opening-up in the past and the determination to continue leading such initiatives will give the country a strong start for the next five years. The policies and measures to further accelerate innovation and boost productivity, expand market access for foreign investors in key industrial sectors, lift restrictions and improve services will help China deliver broad-based growth in a sustainable way. Amid constant change, it's a necessity for China to continuously facilitate vitality while keeping healthy competition in its markets. Foreign companies, together with their Chinese counterparts, will be able to make the best use of their innovations and best practices to improve returns on investment and archive incremental growth.
YOSHIDA: Sony expects the government to continue formulating policies that create a stable, transparent, and innovative development environment for foreign businesses. Specifically, we hope to see policies that enable us to further realize our "Creative Entertainment Vision" in China, where we aim to bridge the gap between virtual and reality through creativity and technology. This vision also emphasizes promoting cross-community and cultural exchanges and integration. In addition, Sony is committed to contributing to the green consumption and industrial upgrading of China. With our rich technological expertise and product portfolio, we look forward to playing an active role in advancing these sectors.
ZHANG: As a global provider of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, Dassault Systemes views the two sessions as a crucial opportunity to understand China's future policy direction and inform our strategic decisions. We hope for more detailed policy support for foreign companies involved in China's new industrialization, particularly in high-tech sectors. Additionally, we look forward to further opening-up in areas like digital transformation and sustainability. Simplified regulations, stronger intellectual property protection and fair market access remain critical for foreign investors. China can enhance policy transparency and accelerate cross-border data flow. Over the past year, we have benefited from China's increasingly open business environment and will continue to invest and serve local customers, empowering digital transformation across industries.
Q2 "New quality productive forces "is widely seen as key to helping China achieve industrial upgrade and "high-quality development". How can your company help cultivate such forces in China?
XU: As China accelerates the development of new quality productive forces to drive high-quality growth, we believe this will create sustained demand for the minerals critical to the global energy transition. China continues to be the world's leading consumer and producer of metals, and its evolving growth strategy presents significant opportunities for our industry. To meet growing demand, we are strategically expanding our capabilities in key commodities. Our Oyu Tolgoi copper mine in Mongolia is on track to become the world's fourth-largest copper mine by 2030. Rio Tinto is also committed to driving technological innovation, promoting sustainable development, and strengthening industry collaboration. By introducing cutting-edge technologies across our operations, we aim to enhance efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
ZHU: Companies worldwide are under intense pressure to adapt to the fast-changing business landscape or risk falling behind. Productivity is in the crosshairs. For businesses in China looking to boost their productivity and performance, technologies led by AI present an unprecedented opportunity to create value, respond dynamically to change and build resilience. According to Accenture's estimation, adopting a holistic approach to productivity, with generative AI acting as multiplier, could boost a company's productivity growth from 1.9 percent to 15.9 percent. We are well poised to help companies in their reinvention journey adopt a more strategic, integrated approach toward AI, establish a strong digital foundation, and rethink talent strategy.
YOSHIDA: We are advancing the development of "new quality productive forces" through continuous technological innovation. For example, in content creation we offer integrated solutions that combine hardware, software, technology and services for Chinese creators — such as virtual production technology — which improves content creation quality and efficiency, reduces costs and carbon emissions, and helps cultivate industrial talents through competition and activities. Furthermore, in enhancing user experience, we utilize cutting-edge technology, such as location-based entertainment technology, to offer immersive experiences that engage Chinese users deeply. On the green development front, we have contributed to the circular economy and achieved a balance between ecological sustainability and economic growth, utilizing self-developed environmentally friendly materials.
ZHANG: The development of "new quality productive forces" is key to achieving a leap in productivity. The growth of the digital economy has become a crucial way to tackle challenges. Dassault Systemes benefits from China's innovation ecosystem under "new quality productive forces", leveraging the 3DEXPERIENCE platform to support industrial upgrading, smart manufacturing, and sustainable innovation. Through virtual twin technology, we help industries like automotive, aerospace and construction reduce processing time and resource waste. We will collaborate more closely with Chinese customers, leveraging our expertise in digital technologies to drive digital transformation and innovation, achieving greater success in global markets. In China, for China, with China, and most importantly, from China.
Q3 DeepSeek has been a buzzword and surprised the world starting this year. AI technology has been deeply integrated with various industries around the world. What opportunities do you foresee for your business from AI technology? What's your view on China's ability to sustain innovation in breakthrough technologies in the coming years?
XU: At Rio Tinto, we've been utilizing artificial intelligence for many years, and we are one of the world's largest users of automated systems in the mining sector. Our geologists, for instance, are leveraging advanced data analytics to uncover insights that were previously beyond our reach due to limitations in analytical power. With AI, we are unlocking new possibilities and enhancing our ability to optimize operations and make more informed decisions. AI also drives the need for substantial data centers, which in turn increases the demand for energy. As a result, there is growing demand for essential metals and minerals, including copper, aluminum and lithium. This not only brings greater efficiencies to our operations, but also fuels increased demand for the critical resources that our business provides.
ZHU: We are excited to see the recent progress in this wave of AI-led innovation. Chinese companies have quickly picked up the signal and mobilized themselves to harness the use of such technologies. We anticipate more innovation and application happening across industries and functions, from R&D to manufacturing, from customer interface to warehousing, and from upskilling to sustainability. With more Chinese companies surveyed expecting their generative AI solutions to be adopted at scale within their organizations this year, we are here to help businesses unlock measurable, enterprise-wide impact through leading with value, building an AI-enabled digital core, reinventing talent, embedding responsible AI and driving continuous reinvention.
YOSHIDA: As the entertainment industry transforms, we see AI as a key enabler for business growth. AI enhances content creation efficiency and enriches user experiences. By combining our world-leading sensing technology with AI, we can improve our ability to "perceive and interact with the real world". Our research and development center in China is at the forefront of AI research, and many of our technological achievements have already been integrated into Sony products globally. Additionally, we're collaborating with universities to explore how AI can be applied to social projects, especially those supporting vulnerable populations.
ZHANG: Artificial intelligence is transforming industries globally, and China's vast industrial data, R&D investments, and policy support are driving new paths for AI development. This year, we launched "3D UNIV+RSES," integrating various generative AI technologies into the core of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. It combines modeling, simulation and virtual twin technologies, helping customers across industries leverage AI throughout the entire life cycle — from design and manufacturing to operations. This enables them to predict potential issues, optimize resource allocation, improve product quality, shorten time-to-market, and ultimately enhance user experience. We believe China's strong innovation ecosystem and focus on breakthrough technologies will continue to drive rapid progress and create a thriving environment for AI-powered growth. We look forward to further collaboration with our Chinese partners to bring these technologies to life.
Q4 Driving domestic consumption is one of the top priorities for China to spur economic growth this year. How do you see China's potential to drive a consumption-led impetus for the economy? How will that affect your company's profitability this year?
XU: China's focus on driving domestic consumption is closely aligned with its strategic investments in infrastructure, green energy and advanced manufacturing — key factors that will sustain long-term demand for metals and minerals. As urbanization continues and initiatives such as the expansion of electric vehicles, renewable energy projects, and grid upgrades gain momentum, demand for copper, aluminum and high-quality iron ore will remain strong. Home appliances represent another key area driving metal consumption. As Chinese consumers upgrade to more energy-efficient and smart appliances, the demand for materials such as aluminum, copper and steel is expected to grow. For Rio Tinto, the shift toward a consumption-driven economy is expected to have a positive impact. China, our largest market, accounts for nearly 60 percent of group revenue, with over half of our products supplied to the country. We believe China's focus on domestic consumption will underpin sustained demand in key commodity markets.
ZHU: Domestic consumption has been, and will always be, one key pillar for the Chinese economy. To adapt to the pace of change in the consumer sector and people's longing for a good life has become the anchor points for future innovation at a time of rapid technological advances. As brands adapt their strategies to meet evolving customer needs and create meaningful connections, it is imperative to create beacons of trust in communications, commerce, products and service. We will work with them to forecast the changing dynamics between technology and users, establish guardrails of technology usage, and align with people's growing desire for more immersive and authentic experiences.
YOSHIDA: At present, consumers pay more attention to product quality, user experience and personalized demands. In fields like technology, culture and entertainment, demand for high-end products and quality content is rising, driving consumption upgrading. This aligns perfectly with Sony's strengths in delivering premium entertainment experiences, especially in the "experience-driven consumption" field. Looking ahead, Sony will continue to tailor its products, technologies and entertainment content to meet Chinese consumer preferences, ensuring we are well-positioned to seize the opportunities presented by a consumption-led economy.
ZHANG: China's consumer market is shifting from "scale expansion" to "quality transformation", undeniably driving economic growth. As consumer demand upgrades and service sectors expand, China's position in the global economy will strengthen. Businesses must respond faster with personalized solutions and lower-carbon product life cycles to meet evolving market needs. For Dassault Systemes, this means offering more customized solutions enabled by virtual twin technology, helping businesses enhance product personalization and innovation while reducing inventory and costs. For example, using our modeling and simulation technologies, we can design personalized insoles based on individual foot data, helping consumers customize running shoes and improve performance. We believe that with China's innovation and market potential, Dassault Systemes will achieve significant progress in profit growth and business expansion in 2025.
Q5 As China continues to pursue high-quality development along a Chinese path to modernization, what opportunities do you anticipate for your business as this process gains more traction? Will you increase investment in China in the coming years? How will you further expand your footprint in China?
XU: At Rio Tinto, we are committed to finding better ways to meet the world's needs for essential materials, and we invest in long-term partnerships to achieve this goal. In alignment with China's high-quality development plans, we are collaborating with Chinese partners to develop low-carbon solutions and promote decarbonization across the industry value chain. Together with our Chinese partners, we are advancing the world-class Simandou iron ore project, with the first production planned for this year. Its high-grade ore will play an essential role in the production of low-carbon steel. This year, the Western Range project, our joint venture with China Baowu Steel Group in Western Australia, will also begin operations. We are leveraging Chinese innovation to help us achieve our decarbonization targets, including a demonstration of our battery swap electric haul truck technology at our Oyu Tolgoi copper mine in Mongolia.
ZHU: Accenture has been operating in the Chinese mainland for nearly 40 years and will continue to bring in our most advanced concepts, capabilities and technologies. In leveraging the power of reinvention in action, Accenture has been strengthening capabilities in data and AI, expanding practices in key areas like high-tech and life sciences, shaping unique solutions and creating great experiences for clients and partners. It is now a pivotal moment for Chinese companies to drive productivity and growth, innovate boldly, and position themselves at the forefront of the next wave of change. We are committed to better understanding and serving the needs of our clients, achieving profitable growth and creating a 360-degree value for all our stakeholders in China.
YOSHIDA: We will continue leveraging our diverse business portfolio, strong technological foundation and operational capabilities to deepen communication and cooperation with Chinese creators and local partners. Sony is committed to playing an active role in optimizing industrial structures in China, promoting the growth of new quality productive forces, contributing to creative entertainment, green development, technological innovation and cultural exchanges, and working together with the broader society.
ZHANG: Dassault Systemes benefits from China's high-quality economic development, with the demand driven by digital transformation presenting new opportunities for future business growth. We will continue to leverage industrial software as the "digital brain" of the industrial economy, acting as a stabilizer, driving technological innovation and accelerating green transformation while fostering new momentum for China's "smart manufacturing". As a result, Dassault Systemes is more confident and committed to its investment in the Chinese market than ever before. This year, we will establish a subsidiary in Shenzhen to help nurture emerging industries. In 2025, marking Dassault Systemes' 20th anniversary in the Chinese mainland, we will further expand our investment, focusing on three strategic sectors — manufacturing industries, life sciences and healthcare and infrastructure and cities. We will continuously optimize products and solutions to meet the specific needs of the Chinese market and collaborate with more innovative Chinese companies to jointly drive technological innovation and market expansion.
