China pushes for more high quality imports and foreign investment

China has pledged to further open ​the country's economy to foreign firms and to pursue more balanced trade with its global partners, after a year marked ‌by trade friction and tariff wars with the United States and European Union in particular. During the China Development Forum 2026 in Beijing, Chinese Premier Li Qiang spoke about the previous year’s trade balance and laid out China’s economic vision and investment opportunities for foreign business leaders. 

China reported a trade surplus that exceeded €1 trillion in 2025, a record. In a year marked by trade frictions with the US and the European Union, many western have become wary of their trade imbalance with China. In light of this, Premier Li Qiang pledged to pursue more balanced trade with its global partners. To achieve this, he announced China will import more high-quality foreign goods and work with all parties to promote optimised and balanced trade development. As an international hub for logistics, tech, chem and many other industries, this presents Benelux businesses with exciting prospects.

Premier Li also made comments on attracting more Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Attracting more foreign investment is an important objective in the 15^th Five Year Plan, launched last March. Over the last years, China has seen a decline in foreign investments. To reverse this trend, China will be offering tax incentives and advantageous policies in selected sectors, while also vouching to open up more industries to foreign businesses. During the Forum, which was attended by senior executives of Apple, Samsung and Volkswagen among others, Premier Li added that foreign businesses will be accommodated as if they were domestic to ensure the realization of their ambitions in China. These policies and statements exemplify China’s push for mutually beneficial international trade, and show that the opportunities for foreign businesses in China will continue to grow in the coming years.