Samsung Biotech (China) Co., Ltd. was recently established in Beijing, marking the first overseas R&D center under Samsung's biopharmaceutical arm. Located in Beijing Zhongguancun Life Science Park, the project aims to build a globally competitive innovative drug development platform by leveraging the regional research facilities and industrial resources. Kim Kyung-ah, President and CEO of Samsung Epis, stated that the company will utilize China's advanced technological infrastructure as a global ADC innovation hub and gather world-class research talent to enhance next-generation biotherapeutics R&D capabilities. By the end of 2025, Samsung's cumulative investment in China exceeded USD 55 billion, with cutting-edge industries accounting for nearly 90%.
A report released by the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation under the Ministry of Commerce, titled "Multinational Companies in China: Building Ecosystems through Innovation Collaboration and Industrial Integration for the Future," noted that China offers predictable and value-enhancing development opportunities through its super-sized domestic market, complete industrial supporting systems, continuously improved business environment, and growing innovation capacity. As of 2025, China's actual utilized foreign investment had remained above USD 100 billion for 16 consecutive years.
The positioning of multinationals in China is undergoing a shift. He Yadong, spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce, stated that many multinationals are upgrading their "manufacturing bases" in China into "innovation sources," and foreign R&D centers are evolving from local adaptation to global innovation hubs. According to statistics, the scientific research and technical services sector absorbed nearly one-fifth of total actual utilized foreign investment in 2025, a proportion that has risen for seven consecutive years and is 2.8 times the level in 2018. In the same year, 14,000 new foreign-funded enterprises were established in this sector, a year-on-year increase of 27.2%.
In terms of manufacturing and innovation integration, Bosch Commercial Vehicle Group is progressing with the construction of a light electric drive system production base in Nanchang, Jiangxi, and a new steering system plant in Jinan, Shandong. Meanwhile, Bosch Home Comfort is establishing a global R&D center in Wuxi, Jiangsu, and building a high-end compressor manufacturing base in Guangzhou, Guangdong. Xu Daquan, President of Bosch (China) Investment Ltd., emphasized that open collaboration and joint innovation are crucial for enhancing supply chain resilience. Bosch remains committed to local innovation, empowering global markets with R&D results developed in China, and assisting Chinese automakers in going global through its worldwide network and compliance expertise.
The integration depth between multinationals and China's economy continues to grow. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, foreign-invested enterprises achieved total operating revenue of RMB 262.7 trillion and total profits of RMB 21.4 trillion, both growing at an average annual rate of around 5%. Joe Ngai, Chairman of McKinsey Greater China, described the Chinese market as "the world's toughest gym."
To solidify foreign investor confidence, China continues to expand opening-up and improve the institutional environment. On June 22, 2025, the Ministry of Commerce, together with the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance, issued the "Action Plan for Stabilizing, Optimizing, and Enhancing the Utilization of Foreign Investment," introducing 15 new measures covering expanded market access, improved investment facilitation, support for local R&D, and strengthened service guarantees. Tao Lin, Global Vice President of Tesla, responded that sustained opening-up will bolster corporate confidence in long-term investment, noting that Tesla's presence in China now spans manufacturing, R&D, supply chain, charging networks, and energy operations. Yin Zheng, Executive Vice President of Schneider Electric and President of China & East Asia, stated that the company has built a robust production and supply chain system in China, comprising 30 factories and logistics centers and 1,600 supplier partners, with local procurement in the China supply chain exceeding 90%.