Reach Far, Dive Deep, Embrace Diversity— 2025 Global Brand Economy Conference was Held in Beijing

Beijing, September 13, 2025 — The fourth Global Brand Economy Conference (CIFITS 2025), under the theme “Reach Far, Dive Deep, Embrace Diversity”, was convened at the Shougang International Convention and Exhibition Center in Beijing. As a major component of the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFITS), the event was jointly organized by the China Federation of Economic Media, China Institute of International Trade, China Top Brands Magazine Office, International Society of Design Science, the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce, and the Altagamma Foundation. Some 600 attendees, including government and ministry-level leaders, ambassadors from 11 countries, industry experts, and business representatives gathered to discuss brand economy development and explore new paths for growth.

Charting the Course of Cooperation, Empowering with the Launch of the Global New Economy Think Tank

The global brand economy is going through a critical period of reconfiguration. Speakers at the conference delivered remarks centered on global brand development, international cooperation, and innovation.

Ji Xiaonan, former Chairman of Supervisory Board of Large Enterprises of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, declared that despite accelerating profound changes unseen in a century, multilateralism remains the consensus of the vast majority of nations, and international cooperation is an irreversible trend. He stressed that branding is not only a crucial channel for economic globalization but also a significant driver of trade in services. The brand economy — as a core part of service trade and high value-added industries — is playing an increasingly important role in driving global economic growth and cultural exchange. Ji noted that in recent years, under the dual engines of innovation and openness, China’s brand development has achieved remarkable results, moving from “Made in China” toward “Created in China.” This transformation stems from enterprises’ commitment to quality, technology, and integrity, as well as deeper international cooperation. He called on governments, businesses, think tanks, and media worldwide to expand cooperation boundaries, promote deeper integration of digital technologies, green economy, and branding; to jointly build open markets; and to let brands become bright signatures of economic growth, cultural exchange, and sustainable development.

Jiang Ming, President of the China General Chamber of Commerce, stated that a brand is not only a symbol of corporate strength but also a mirror of national image and an important bridge to connecting with the world. With economies globally becoming ever more intertwined, the power of brands is becoming more pronounced. “China’s commerce is experiencing a profound transformation from growth in scale to leaps in value; brand building has become a key force guiding industrial upgrading and economic transformation,” he said. Under the dual drive of policy and practice, Chinese brands are accelerating their ascent to center-stage on the world stage, and their competitiveness and influence are achieving new breakthroughs. Using the conference as an opportunity, Jiang Ming expressed hope that the outcomes of dialogue could be translated into pragmatic cooperation—so that brands become not only carriers of trade and commerce, but ambassadors of civilization, and agents of sustainable development.

Hu Bin, President and Editor-in-Chief of China Business Herald and also President of China Federation of Economic Media, remarked that brands are at the heart of global market competition and a vital force in promoting high-quality economic development. He observed that China is pushing ahead with building a strong nation in quality; brands, as concentrated expressions of quality, innovation, and reputation, have become key tools in implementing national strategy. Over recent years, China’s brand building has seen a major leap: moving from point-wise efforts to systematic planning, from quantitative growth to qualitative improvements, and from a focus on domestic markets to global layout. These market shifts reflect deep integration of domestic and international markets and exemplify China’s posture of expanding openness and sharing development opportunities. As head of a national-level media organization, Hu Bin expressed his hope that the National Newspapers Association would well play its role as a bridge and link: helping Chinese brands go global, and welcoming global brands to China.

SELÇUK ÜNAL, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to China, said the world is undergoing challenging times, and no country or international organization can face these complex challenges alone. As a bridge between East and West, Türkiye has always been committed to promoting regional and global peace and stability. He added that Türkiye’s “Middle Corridor” initiative and China’s Belt and Road Initiative have complementary alignments that, when coordinated, will deepen multilateral cooperation and become important platforms for global collaboration. He praised China’s contribution through major infrastructure and other projects to both global and regional development. He said Türkiye and China are in ongoing talks to further integrate their development strategies.

 Also during the conference, the Global New Economy Think Tank (GNE) was officially launched.

Initiated by China Federation of Economic Media and China Business Magazine, the think tank is founded on the principle of “addressing national urgent needs and establishing a characteristic, institutionally innovative think tank platform.” With the vision of “promoting the building of a community with a shared future for humanity through global wisdom,” GNE will focus on critical areas such as digital economy, industrial upgrading, and regional coordination, conducting strategic, forward-looking, and systematic research. It aims to provide high-quality decision support for government departments and solutions for corporate innovation and upgrading.

Decoding Brand Growth, Corporate Practices Showcase Resilience and Vitality

In the keynote speech and the session “Resilient Growth of Brands: Reach Far, Dive Deep, Embrace Diversity,” experts and corporate representatives shared case studies of brand development in digital, global, and green domains.

Zheng Yannong, former Secretary General of the Development Research Center of the State Council and former Executive Vice President and Secretary-General of China International Public Relations Association, delivered the keynote on Chinese brands going abroad under a high-quality development environment. He said Chinese firms are moving beyond mere product exports into a new phase of global branding, and that enterprises must prepare by “observing seas before going overseas”, comprehensively assessing the current international political and economic environment, and thoroughly researching the political systems, laws and regulations, media landscapes, and cultural differences in target markets.

Zheng emphasized that brand building should be grounded in product experience, corporate culture, and reputation of leadership; clarity of brand positioning should be achieved through differentiation, digital intelligence, and localization strategies; new technologies such as AI and blockchain should be leveraged to improve communication and operational efficiency. He noted that the trend for Chinese brands abroad is evolving from “going out” and “entering” to “integrating in,” and that ecological overseas strategy and compliance are essential to meeting global challenges—ultimately achieving a transition from a “country of big brands” to one of “powerful brands.”

Li Pengcheng, Executive President of Inner Mongolia Mengniu Dairy (Group) Co., Ltd., used the brand Telunsu as an example to illustrate how Mengniu cultivates it via industrial chain thinking. He stated that Telunsu’s success stems from its pursuit of high quality and system-wide integration of the entire industrial chain. With a long-term orientation and premium positioning, Mengniu is committed to advancing this representative of “Chinese milk, world quality” into the international market, showcasing the sustainable development strength of Chinese brands.

Zhou Liyuan, President of Suzhou Daoxiangcun Foodstuff Co., Ltd., observed that enabling time-honored traditional brands to expand beyond their places of origin and reach broader domestic and global markets is a common challenge for the industry. As a benchmark for the innovation of heritage brands, Suzhou Daoxiangcun balances cultural trends and health concepts, and promotes innovation in mooncakes and traditional pastries from Suzhou and Cantonese styles. Zhou noted that these products are not only popular among overseas Chinese, but are also gradually entering mainstream local markets. Zhou expressed his willingness to collaborate with global partners in services trade so that more international consumers come to love Chinese pastries.

Promotions Unlock Opportunities, Multilateral Cooperation Charts a Blueprint for Development

In the global brand promotion segment, representatives from various countries and regions in China spotlighted local industrial strengths and built connections with Chinese and foreign enterprises.

Koryun Ghazaryan, Commercial Counselor at the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia, reviewed bilateral relations since Armenia and China established diplomatic ties in 1992. He noted that Armenia’s recent elevation to a strategic partnership with China marks a new level in political relations and expands prospects for economic cooperation. Agreements have been reached to simplify trade procedures, reduce market access barriers, and explore emerging cooperation in e-commerce and cross-border logistics. Exploration is also underway in infrastructure, agricultural modernization, information technology, and green energy. Ghazaryan expressed hope that this conference can help showcase Armenia’s unique appeal globally and attract more international investment and industry cooperation.

Vaughn Barber, Chairman of the China-Australia Chamber of Commerce, highlighted that Australia being the Guest Country of Honor for CIFITS 2025 symbolizes a milestone in China-Australia relations and a new commitment to economic cooperation, shared prosperity, and innovation. Australia’s national brand is known globally for excellence, innovation, and sustainability in sectors like agriculture, education, financial services, and cleantech. He said the two countries are actively expanding cooperation in services trade, knowledge sharing, and technology collaboration, with tangible progress in steel decarbonization, medical partnerships, and high-efficiency solar technologies. He urged further collaboration in digital transformation, green economy, commercialization of R&D, and cultural and creative sectors to achieve mutual gains and sustainable growth.

Gianni Di Giovanni, Vice-Chairman of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, reviewed 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the EU and China. Bilateral trade has grown more than 300-fold—from US$2.4 billion to US$785.8 billion. Among various sectors, energy has remained one of the most promising domains for cooperation. He observed strong alignment in energy transition goals between Europe and China, whose comparative strengths—Europe in institutional design and frontier innovation; China in large-scale manufacturing and systems integration—are complementary. Gianni expressed optimism about deepening cooperation in green technology, carbon market linkages, and opening new chapters in energy partnership.

 David Perez-Des Rosiers, Chief Representative of the Canada-China Business Council, presented Canada’s national brand under the values “Quality, Authenticity, Reliability.” He remarked that, although China is Canada’s second-largest trade partner, Canadian exports to China make up less than 5% of Canada’s total exports; yet there is substantial potential in agriculture, food and beverage, consumer goods, and services. He suggested that Canadian companies deepen localized operations in China via cross-border e-commerce, and encouraged Chinese companies to explore development opportunities in Canada.

Fabrizio Costa, Secretary General of the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce, traced the long history of cooperation between Italy and China. He noted that in addition to Italy’s reputation in design and cuisine, the country has advanced innovation capabilities in manufacturing, life sciences, and sustainable technologies. Under its founding pillars of Voice and Advocacy, Knowledge and Insight, Connection and Community, Opportunity and Growth, the chamber will support deeper cooperation in R&D, market expansion, and help both countrys’ brands grow.

Exploring Pathways to Globalization, Discussing New Directions for Brand Development

A roundtable forum on “Brands and Globalization Development” took place, with Chinese and foreign guests engaging deeply on issues such as globalization challenges, digital-intelligence empowerment, and localization strategies. The session was chaired by Alkhalloufi Toumert, Consultant of Morocco and China Think Tank.

Gianni Di Giovanni, Chairman of Eni China BV, Chairman of Eni Energy Co., Ltd and EVP of Eni China Rep Office, spoke about Eni’s integration of technology and responsibility, using digitalization as a core engine to drive green energy transition. He emphasized China’s role as the world’s largest market for transport fuels and as a producer of used cooking oil; both countries have strong prospects for cooperation in biofuels scaling and carbon neutrality. Eni looks forward to building verifiable digital chains and nurturing sustainable futures in partnership with China and global allies.

Sun Ke, Board Director of Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Chief Representative of Switzerland Innovation, described Switzerland’s leading role in global innovation. Since the China office of Swiss Innovation Park was established in Beijing in 2019, it has collaborated with China’s Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, exploring R&D cooperation in health and life sciences, advanced manufacturing, mobility, clean energy, and environment protection. At the conference, Sun expressed hope for deeper multi-level international cooperation, helping companies enhance international operations, global brand influence, and technological innovation, delivering sustained momentum in the global marketplace.

Zhang Yatao, Overseas Sales Director of Overseas Sales Director of DEEP Robotics, Ltd., shared experiences of globalizing a Chinese tech brand. He introduced the company’s focus on humanoid and quadruped robots and key components; their self-developed products have already been applied in sectors such as energy, emergency response, and industry, and have entered overseas markets like Singapore, providing inspection services for local power grid operators. He emphasized the importance of technological innovation and local cooperation in global brand expansion.

Li Yao, China Lead Partner of KPMG Global China Practice (GCp), offered reflections from the perspective of professional service firms. She suggested that the essence of a global brand lies not just in corporate scale, but in trust and reputation. KPMG operates in over 140 countries and territories, delivering high-quality services that reinforce its branding. Li Yao stressed that achieving this requires embracing cultural diversity and building specialized teams that deeply understand local customer needs while upholding global standards. She noted that sustainable brand development depends on merging top-down strategic determination with bottom-up employee actions, embedding both into daily brand building and operations.

Sun Yahong, President of China Region of Cellcosmet, discussed the critical importance of sustainability to the luxury industry. She described how after implementing environmental protection measures and fulfilling environmental promises, Réane’s performance has continued to grow. This result challenges the common assumption that luxury and sustainability are difficult to reconcile and reflects that adhering to brand values and proactively implementing eco-friendly commitments can not only enhance brand image but also win broad market recognition, achieving a win-win of commercial success and sustainable development.

Also in the China promotion section, Zhou Kai, Deputy Secretary of the Party Working Committee and Director of the Administrative Committee of the Wangcheng Economic and Technological Development Zone in Hunan Province shared the region’s experience in building regional brands and promoting cooperation. He said the brand economy plays a profound role in enhancing regional competitiveness, promoting industrial development, and elevating regional brand image. As a national-level development zone, Wangcheng leverages its favorable location, excellent transport infrastructure, and open platform to form industrial clusters in intelligent terminals, green foods, and new materials. With a business environment emphasizing convenience, efficiency and cost savings plus full-service mechanisms, the zone offers strong support and cooperation space for enterprises. He expressed the hope that more entrepreneurs will invest in Changsha city, invest in Wangcheng, and together seize development opportunities for win-win cooperation.

The conference closed with the joint release of the 2025 Global Brand Development Trend Report by NielsenIQ and the China Federation of Economic Media. Liu Xiaohui, Senior Director at NielsenIQ China, presented the report. He introduced three key propositions: brand influence is built from credibility, connectivity, and capability; multicentricity is becoming a new foundational terrain; and rules and data now determine market entry efficiency. These are further broken into five trends: multicentric globalization becoming normative; brand trust driven jointly by soft power and local relevance; AI dramatically raising marketing efficiency and transparency; policy compliance and data mutual recognition defining market access efficiency; and sustainability and trust governance evolving from “bonus points” to hard standards for market entry. Liu emphasized that brands must use trust as their bridge, rules as their axis, and sustainability as their goal in order to realize medium and long-term value in uncertainty.

 From digital intelligence empowerment to green transition, from unilateral competition to multilateral win-win cooperation, the 2025 Global Brand Economy Conference, anchored on “Far, Deep, Integrated”, injected fresh momentum into global brand development. Looking ahead, as Chinese and foreign brands deepen integration in technology, markets, and culture, the global brand economy is poised to move toward a more open, inclusive, and sustainable future.