China's innovation power draws global attention

Industrial humanoid robots carry out multi-machine, multi-scenario, and multi-task coordinated training at the Zeekr 5G Intelligent Factory in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, March 3, 2025. [VCG]

In China's "15th Five-Year Plan" proposal, the word "innovation" appears 61 times — an unmistakable signal of the country's determination to advance scientific and technological progress. Over the past decade, China has delivered a stream of major breakthroughs, propelling its ranking in the Global Innovation Index from 34th in 2012 to 10th in 2025. This upward momentum is increasingly shaping global perceptions of China's innovation capacity.

Invesco, one of the world's largest asset-management firms, noted in its 2026 Global Investment Outlook that emerging markets stand to benefit from structural growth themes, especially the global expansion of AI infrastructure. China's heavy investment in artificial intelligence and related technologies is expected to act as a powerful engine for market performance. Indeed, Chinese equities have posted solid gains in 2025, and with authorities committed to enhancing shareholder returns and offering targeted support to competitive industries, analysts anticipate these positive trends will continue into 2026.

International media outlets, including the Financial Times and the Economist, have reported that China is evolving from the "world's factory" into the "world's testbed," urging Western economies to catch up.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian holds a press conference in Beijing, December 5, 2025. [VCG]

Responding to these observations, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian emphasized on Friday that innovation has become a defining theme of China's development. Competition may arise in the process, he noted, but it is not the purpose of innovation.

China's approach is marked by openness, open-source collaboration, and a commitment to mutual benefit. The China Space Station has welcomed cooperation from 17 countries and 23 institutions. The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST) is open to scientists worldwide. China has also proposed establishing a world AI cooperation organization and launched the "AI Plus" international cooperation initiative. Open-source models like DeepSeek have further demonstrated China's willingness to share tools with global developers.

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