In the first half of this year, the import and export of foreign-invested enterprises in China was 7.39 trillion yuan, an increase of 17.1%, achieving growth for nine consecutive quarters.

In the context of sluggish global trade and investment and rising protectionism, this contrarian growth data can easily explain why nearly 4,000 foreign-funded companies increased their investment in China in the first five months of this year.

Volkswagen Group (China) Chairman and CEO Bei Ruide said that Volkswagen has relied on its experience in developing new cars in China to speed up the product development cycle in the European market from the original 48 months to 30 to 36 months, enhancing Volkswagen's competitiveness in Europe and other regions.

If in the past, China mainly provided "market dividends" to the world with its large-scale market and low-cost factors, then now, China is also providing more and more "innovation dividends" through technological progress and industrial upgrading.

This dividend has been accurately summarized as "China Opportunity 2.0". Since it quickly became a high-frequency word in the media in June, it has continued to be hotly discussed.

Why does “China Opportunity 2.0” continue to gain global attention?

Data growth is the obvious answer.

In the first half of the year, the import and export scale of foreign-funded enterprises achieved double-digit growth. The number of foreign-funded enterprises with import and export records increased by nearly 1,000 compared with the same period last year.The continuous expansion of the foreign trade market has promoted foreign-funded enterprises to increase their production and R&D layout in China.

It can be said that "missing out on China means missing out on future growth opportunities."

Certainty is the deeper answer to the widespread popularity of "China Opportunity 2.0".

At the fourth Chain Expo held in late June, foreign companies and institutions accounted for 36.5%. A number of well-known companies such as Apple and Honeywell have become old friends of the Chain Expo; 223 overseas groups made a special trip to China to visit and negotiate, an increase of nearly 30% from the previous session.

From the China International Import Expo and the Canton Fair, to the Service Trade Fair, the Chain Expo, and to regional expositions, China has always adhered to its original intention of opening up and continued to build a diversified international economic and trade platform against the backdrop of rising uncertainty in the external environment.

Since the beginning of this year, measures to expand high-level opening up have continued to be implemented.

In March, the General Administration of Customs teamed up with multiple departments to launch a six-month special action to facilitate cross-border trade in 2026; in June, the Ministry of Commerce and other departments jointly issued the "Action Plan for Utilizing Foreign Investment to Consolidate and Promote Optimization", proposing 15 measures around five aspects including expanding market access and improving the convenience of foreign investment.

Behind the multi-dimensional picture of "China Opportunity 2.0" is the tenacity and vigorous development trend of China's economy, more accessible advanced technology, and more inclusive sharing of results.

Be optimistic about China, invest in China, overweight China... Foreign-funded enterprises are casting a vote of confidence with practical actions.