September 11, Beijing

Good afternoon dear Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure to join you once again at the Beijing Day during CIFTIS, here in the remarkable city of Beijing.

On behalf of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA), I extend my sincere thanks to the People's Government of Beijing Municipality and to the Beijing Investment Promotion Bureau for inviting me to this important gathering.

The focus of today's event on "Empowerment, Convergence, and Win-Win" reflects the spirit of the moment.

Around the world, economies are looking for new pathways to growth, and investors are searching for reliable partners.

Beijing has shown how empowerment through reform, convergence of industries and innovation, and win-win cooperation with global investors can create an environment of opportunity and resilience.

At WAIPA, we are proud to bring together investment promotion agencies from over 110 countries.

Our mission is to support IPAs in building better strategies, stronger partnerships, and more effective tools to attract and retain sustainable investment.

Invest Beijing, as one of our prestigious members, is a clear example of how an IPA can play a strategic role in shaping a world-class business environment.

By linking global capital with Beijing's strengths in technology, finance, and talent, Invest Beijing contributes to the city’s transformation into a hub of innovation and opportunity.

I see that the agenda of today's event highlights some areas where investment promotion is critical:

• In artificial intelligence and digital industries, Beijing's "acceleration" mirrors global trends.
• At WAIPA, we see IPAs increasingly helping their economies position themselves as digital leaders, by connecting innovators with international investors.
• In pharmaceuticals, multinational companies are choosing Beijing for its research capacity and supportive ecosystem.
• It’s an important sector, which has also been addressed by some cooperation projects of WAIPA with member IPAs, and which can drive both competitiveness and public well-being.
• In global competitiveness, Beijing is demonstrating how institutional opening-up and policy innovation attract capital.
• This directly reflects the work WAIPA supports across our network – helping IPAs improve transparency, predictability, and international alignment.
• And in industrial ecosystems, Beijing shows how government, enterprises, and finance can converge to empower technology companies.
• Around the world, IPAs need to play a similar role: ensuring investment translates into long-term growth, not just short-term flows.

Later today, we will also hear about Beijing’s regional strategies, such as:

• building a green financial center in Tongzhou,
• advancing the dual drive of business and technology in Chaoyang,
• reinforcing Zhongguancun as a science and innovation city, and
• pioneering digital economy zones.

These efforts show that Beijing is not only welcoming global investment, but also shaping the future of urban development – green, digital, innovative, and inclusive.

WAIPA will continue to support Invest Beijing, and all our members, in sharing these experiences with the global investment promotion community.

Together, we can build stronger international cooperation and ensure that investment remains a driver of prosperity for all.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The challenges of our time are complex, but forums like today show that the solutions lie in partnership.

Empowerment, convergence, and win-win cooperation are not just slogans – they are strategies for building a more connected and resilient global economy.

Once again, I thank our hosts for their warm welcome.

I wish today’s event great success, and I look forward to seeing the new opportunities that will emerge from Beijing’s leadership in investment promotion.

Thank you.