by Chinese Ambassador to Belgium Fei Shengchao
Recently, China’s Two Sessions (the annual meetings of the National People’s Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference) in 2025 were successfully concluded. The Two Sessions are not only a significant event in the political life of the Chinese people but also an important window for the world to observe and understand China.
We are now living in a changing and turbulent world where certainty is becoming a scarce resource. With the growing headwinds against economic globalization, the rise of protectionism and certain countries wielding the “tariff stick”, the world economy faces multiple challenges.
The world’s future is determined by the choices of each and every country, which will define the trajectory of our times. China’s answer is categorically clear and consistent, that is, to help stabilize an uncertain world with China’s certainty. I would like to share my views on “a China of certainty” from the perspectives of growth, innovation and openness.
Seeking progress while maintaining stability, China serves as the anchor of economic growth. In 2024, China’s GDP surpassed 130 trillion yuan (approximately 18 trillion U.S. dollars), with an economic growth rate of 5%, ranking among the top major economies in the world. Given the increasing internal and external pressures, such a growth rate is hard-won, demonstrating the strong resilience and vast potential of China’s economy. Every day in China, we produce 80,000 cars and 3.4 million smartphones, and deliver over 470 million parcels.
Behind this strong market vitality is the support of a complete industrial system, a hyper-scale market, well-developed infrastructure and strong innovation capabilities. As the world’s second-largest economy, China has contributed around 30% to global economic growth for several years. In the first quarter of 2025, China’s economy has got off to a good start. This year, we are confident in achieving a target growth rate of around 5% and we’ll continue to provide greater support and driving force for global economic stability and growth.
Through technological innovation, China fuels high-quality development. Embracing innovation means embracing development, and pursuing innovation means shaping the future. In 2024, China’s Global Innovation Index rose to 11th place, making it one of the fastest-growing economies in terms of innovation over the past decade. In 2024, China’s total R&D expenditure exceeded 3.6 trillion yuan (approximately 496 billion U.S. dollars), with R&D intensity (the ratio of R&D investment to GDP) reaching 2.68%, surpassing the EU’s average of 2.11%. According to the European Patent Office’s annual patent index report, more than 20,000 patent applications were received from China in 2024, accounting for one-tenth of the total applications.
Recently, China has seen a surge in technological and industrial innovation, with breakthroughs emerging continuously, led by startups such as the “Six Little Dragons of Hangzhou” (companies focusing on AI, robotics, game development, brain-machine interfaces, etc.). DeepSeek’s open-source models have gained global popularity, enabling countries around the world to share the benefits of artificial intelligence. China has turned nothing into something through technological innovation, and put something into application through industrial innovation. With deep integration of both, China has boosted the development of new quality productive forces and found in them a new powerful engine for high-quality development.
By expanding openness, China creates new opportunities with its hyper-scale market. Openness is a defining feature of Chinese modernization. No matter how the external environment changes, China remains committed to opening up and will only open wider to the world. China will steadily expand institutional openness and foster a first-class business environment that is based on market principles, governed by law and up to international standards. Recently, China released the 2025 Action Plan for Stabilizing Foreign Investment, which includes 20 measures across four areas. The plan fully removes restrictions on foreign investment in the manufacturing sector, steadily advances the opening up of the service industry, and expands trials to open sectors such as telecommunications, medical services and education. China has taken further steps to enhance services and support for foreign businesses operating in the country. Relevant authorities hold monthly roundtable meetings with foreign-invested companies to listen to and help address their concerns. China would like to share development opportunities with companies from Belgium and other countries, and warmly welcomes them to invest and grow in China, participate in Chinese modernization and benefit from its growth dividends.
Belgium’s growth is driven by trade, while its strength lies in technology. It was one of the first countries to embrace China’s reform and opening up and one of the earliest Western developed countries to invest and develop businesses in China. Over the past 40 years, China has not only developed itself but also benefited the world. Belgium stands as both a pioneer and a beneficiary in engaging with China’s reform and opening up. “Nothing can separate people with common goals and ideals, not even mountains and seas.” In 2024, China-Belgium trade reached nearly 40 billion U.S. dollars, almost doubling the figure from a decade ago. China is Belgium’s third-largest trading partner outside the EU with more than 1,300 Belgian investment projects in China. The industrial structures of China and Belgium are highly complementary, with vast cooperation potential in fields such as biomedicine, technology, green development and logistics. Alibaba’s Cainiao ehub at Liège Airport and COSCO Shipping Port of Zeebrugge are both good examples of Belgium’s unique bridging role in connecting China and Belgium and Europe in trade and business.
Recently, world’s highest-grossing animated movie, Ne Zha 2, was released in Belgium, boosting a strong interest in Chinese culture among local audiences. Many have expressed their desire to visit China and experience its unique customs and traditions. Since last year, Belgium has joined China’s visa-waiver “circle of friends”, and exchanges in various fields have been accelerating. We welcome friends from Belgium and Europe to visit China and experience its charm firsthand. During his recent meeting with representatives of international business community, Chinese President Xi Jinping noted that, embracing China is embracing opportunities, believing in China is believing in a better tomorrow, and investing in China is investing in the future. Both China and Belgium are strong supporters of economic globalization and share common interests across many areas. China is willing to work hand in hand with Belgium and countries around the world to maintain steady growth, foster innovation, expand the path of openness, and to empower global development for all with “a China of certainty and openness”.
