China's innovation-driven growth provides new opportunities for global investors: British business leader

Perry praised China's accelerating pace of innovation, asserting that the country is now a global leader in productivity and technological advancement.

LONDON, July 24 (Xinhua) -- China is reshaping its growth model around strategic self-reliance, innovation-driven productivity, and systemic capabilities, which present fresh opportunities for foreign investors, said Jack Perry, Chairman of The 48 Group Club in Britain.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Perry highlighted China's economic performance in the first half of 2025. He pointed to robust GDP growth, alongside the rapid expansion of the high-tech and equipment manufacturing sectors, the digital economy, and research and development investments. All of which, he said, underscores China's pivot toward high-quality development.

"China is not only rebalancing what it produces, but also how and why it produces," Perry said. "There is a clear emphasis on integrated artificial intelligence (AI) deployment, green energy transformation, industrial sovereignty, and the dual-circulation model designed to weather geopolitical turbulence."

Perry praised China's accelerating pace of innovation, asserting that the country is now a global leader in productivity and technological advancement. "AI is already being deployed at scale, robotics are being commercialized, and digital infrastructure is operational," he noted. "China is executing a long-term strategy that other economies still only talk about."

As CEO of London Export Corporation, Perry noted growing global demand for Chinese innovations. "Companies across the Middle East, Europe, and South America are seeking high-quality, smart technologies from China, not because they are cheaper, but because they are better."

China's vast and evolving consumer market also plays a pivotal role in shaping global product strategies, Perry added. With a growing middle-income population that is digitally integrated, quality-conscious, and values-driven, the Chinese market is driving a shift in how multinational firms design and adapt their products.

"This is no longer about exporting to China," he said. "It's about designing with China."

He cited The 48 Group's recent delegation visit to China's Shandong, Zhejiang, and Beijing, where British companies were invited to co-develop new platforms with Chinese partners in areas such as smart retail and low-carbon urban logistics.

In a time of rising protectionism and fragmented trade worldwide, Perry commended China's continued commitment to openness. "While many economies are turning inward and building walls, China is doing the opposite. It is expanding partnerships, deepening trade ties, and strengthening global engagement," he said.

He pointed to initiatives such as the Belt and Road development and new trade agreements as evidence of China's proactive approach.

According to Perry, multinational corporations remain optimistic about China. "Some of the world's most forward-looking companies are moving closer to China, not away. They recognize the scale, capability, and innovation ecosystem as essential to their own competitiveness."

He identified several sectors that offer significant opportunities for foreign investors, including AI compliance frameworks, energy infrastructure, robotics export services, smart mobility systems, and trusted commodity platforms.