Interview: More U.S. firms eye China as platform for opportunities: USCBC president

BEIJING, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of U.S. companies are showing great enthusiasm for entering the Chinese market and seeking opportunities in the country's rapidly evolving innovation landscape, said Sean Stein, president of the U.S.-China Business Council (USCBC).

Stein made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Xinhua during the just-concluded China Development Forum (CDF) 2026. Of the nearly 100 multinational companies attending this year's forum, about one-third were from the United States, marking a recent high.

The forum provides an important platform for U.S. companies to engage with the Chinese government and signal their continued commitment to operating in China, Stein said.

Stein highlighted a notable shift in China's strategic positioning for U.S. companies. "Ten years ago, it was all about the China market. Today, it is increasingly more about China platform," he said.

While the China market remains important, U.S. companies here are now investing more in joint research projects, Stein said. "They are investing in ways to strengthen supply chains, or seeking to leverage Chinese technologies and partnerships to enhance their global competitiveness."

Commenting on China's evolution into a global innovation hub, Stein said it should be seen not as a threat, but as an opportunity for highly innovative U.S. firms. "Many leading companies are looking at what innovation is emerging in China and how to incorporate it into their supply chains and production, to become more competitive not just in China, but around the world," he said.

The CDF is the first major international forum held in China since the country released the outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) for national economic and social development in March at the "two sessions," a blueprint that has been closely watched by policymakers and business leaders worldwide.

Speaking about China's five-year plans, Stein said foreign companies today are increasingly recognizing the importance of the blueprints, not just for the Chinese government's planning, but also for their own strategy.

"Companies realize it's a whole lot easier to be successful in China if they know the direction the river is going to flow," he added.

Noting that the United States and China are the world's two largest economies that are both innovative and dynamic, Stein highlighted the importance of dialogue.

Stein encouraged more Americans to visit China and see the country firsthand. "If you haven't been to China in five or ten years, you may not fully understand how much it has changed," he said, adding that "the only way to stay current is to come and see for yourself."