China’s economy is projected to grow by more than 5 percent this year, underscoring its resilience amid global economic headwinds and reinforcing its position as the largest contributor to global growth, according to President of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Borge Brende.
Brende made the remarks in an interview with Xinhua ahead of the WEF Annual Meeting 2026, noting that China continues to consolidate its strengths in traditional industries while rapidly expanding into emerging sectors through sustained investment in research, development, and innovation.
He expressed optimism about China’s long-term economic prospects, saying continued reforms, alongside strong support for innovation and entrepreneurship, would sustain growth and prosperity.
“China has already pivoted towards the fifth industrial revolution, which represents a major paradigm shift,” Brende said. “New technologies offer enormous opportunities for productivity gains and economic expansion, and China is a major contributor to this transformation.”
Brende highlighted China’s global leadership in renewable energy manufacturing, particularly in wind turbines and solar equipment, as well as its growing influence in the electric vehicle (EV) sector. He noted that Chinese EV manufacturers such as BYD have gained increasing international recognition, reflecting the country’s expanding technological and industrial footprint.
Commenting on the broader global outlook, Brende said the world economy has remained “surprisingly resilient” despite geopolitical tensions, tariff-related disruptions, and other uncertainties. While trade remains a vital engine of growth, he added that emerging technologies, especially artificial intelligence, are attracting significant investment and helping to propel global economic activity.
However, he cautioned that escalating conflicts pose the greatest risk to global growth.
“We are most worried about major escalations of wars. That can kill global growth,” Brende warned, adding that if such risks are contained, global economic growth could surpass 3 percent in 2026.
Brende also referenced the recently released Global Cooperation Barometer report by the WEF, which indicates that while multilateralism faces mounting challenges, global cooperation is increasingly shifting toward more flexible and smaller-scale arrangements as traditional frameworks weaken.
He reaffirmed China’s important role in supporting multilateralism and stressed the continued relevance of international institutions such as the United Nations. According to him, these institutions remain critical for addressing global challenges, including pandemics and cybercrime, and have played a central role in global stability and prosperity since the end of World War II.
The WEF Annual Meeting 2026 is scheduled to hold from January 19 to 23 in Davos, Switzerland, under the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue.”
The event is expected to bring together nearly 3,000 participants from more than 130 countries to deliberate on strengthening cooperation, unlocking new sources of growth, and investing in human capital.
