Chinese private-sector leaders highlight AI-driven opportunities while calling for stronger resilience, financing support, and cybersecurity safeguards amid rapid industry transformation.
As China begins its annual Two Sessions, business leaders are weighing how private enterprises can navigate the fast-changing AI landscape.
AI Boom Opens New Growth Space
Huang Daifang, a deputy to China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) and chairman of Tellhow Group Co Ltd, said private firms need to build technological “moats” as artificial intelligence reshapes industries.
He said deeper integration between technological innovation and industrial development will define the upcoming China’s 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030).
“Private enterprises stay close to the market and respond quickly to change,” Huang said in a recent interview with CNS. “Those strengths will become even more evident in the coming years.”
Similarly, Qi Xiangdong, a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and chairman of Qi An Xin Group, described the current period as a key window for development.
“The AI wave is opening new space and new tracks for private businesses,” Qi said in Beijing.
AI technologies are evolving quickly. At the same time, they are integrating more deeply with the real economy. As a result, many industries are undergoing structural change.
Financing and Long Research Cycles Test Resilience
However, opportunity comes with strain.
Huang noted that financing remains a common concern among private firms. In recent years, he has heard frequent calls for stronger bank credit support, especially from small and medium-sized enterprises facing cash flow pressure.
Market volatility, he added, often tests a company’s stability. Whether a firm has built a solid technological “moat” may determine its ability to withstand economic cycles.
“That requires persistence in core operations and sustained investment in innovation,” Huang said.
Qi echoed that view from the perspective of hard-tech companies. He said research and development cycles can be long and capital-intensive. Efforts to strengthen control over core components and foundational technologies demand patience and steady funding.
“These are tough battles,” Qi said, referring to breakthroughs in key technologies.
Security and Talent Are Seen as Critical Factors
In addition, Qi warned that innovation without strong cybersecurity safeguards carries risks.
“In the digital era, companies must build security into technology from the start,” he said. “Otherwise, growth will be difficult to sustain.”
Both business leaders also stressed the role of talent.
Huang said companies need to stay focused on their core strengths while planning for long-term development. Qi added that firms should create an environment where skilled professionals can devote themselves to research and innovation.
In their view, the real test for private enterprises lies not only in capturing AI-driven opportunities, but also in maintaining resilience, investing in technology and managing risk in a rapidly changing environment.
Written by Ronnie Yu, additional reporting by CNS.
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