Hello, everyone.

It’s a great honor to join the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the China Development Forum. Happy 25th Anniversary! I would like to take this opportunity to commend the organizers, the founders, and all the people behind the stage for having made the Forum such a unique and enduring place – bridging China with the world, and the world with China. It’s a place, this forum, where ideas converge, meaningful discussions take place, and partnerships are forged. The Forum has always been forward-looking, addressing the most pressing topics of our time—China’s development trajectory, economic transformation, digitization, and sustainability. These are themes, these are topics that resonate deeply with us and that will make an impact to the development of the whole world.

Since 2012, I have had the privilege of participating in this platform. Coming back to Beijing every spring for the Forum reminds me of the 5 years I lived here in the 90s. One of my most memorable experiences at CDF, at the Forum was serving as co-chair of the Forum in 2015. I was humbled to represent multinationals in the high-level dialogues and shaping the agenda. Every year the diverse perspectives that come together sparked innovative ideas. These interactions deepened my understanding of China’s development and its impact on the global stage.

These past 25 years have been a remarkable period of economic growth for China, as it has for Schneider Electric as well. Our global revenue, globally, has increased fourfold during this time, and China has played a very significant role in this success. Today, China is not only our second-largest worldwide market but it’s also a vital source of innovation. We are an integral part of China’s growth–we participated, we contributed, but we also benefited from it. We have expanded our footprint from deploying manufacturing bases, and distribution centers, to establishing crucial R&D centers.

Our China hub is one of our major four Hubs around the globe today. In recent years, we have been focusing on the new growth drivers of decarbonization and digital transformation, positioning ourselves as the industrial technology leader at the forefront of this new development stage.

As we look to the future, I’m excited about the Forum’s continued role as a platform for dialogue and collaboration. Together, we can work on pressing global challenges, such as climate change, technological innovation, use of AI, and economic resilience.

For Schneider Electric, China will remain a key partner and a source of innovation as we navigate the complexities of a rapidly changing world. The opportunity to engage directly with leaders and policymakers at the Forum is invaluable for multinational corporations.

In closing, I want to thank the CDF again, for 25 years of continuous persistence, in organizing this fabulous collaboration platform. Let’s continue to work together—across borders and across industries—to build a more sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous future. I look forward to continuing this journey with you in the next chapter of innovation, partnership, and progress.

I wish CDF an even better future!