Intelligent Navigation Across Seas, Connecting Globally | Frost & Sullivan's 2025 New Investment Conference's Overseas Sub-forum Concludes Successfully

On August 27th, the 19th Frost & Sullivan China Growth, Innovation & Leadership Summit and the 4th New Investment Conference (hereinafter referred to as the '2025 Frost & Sullivan New Investment Conference') were held in Shanghai, hosted by Frost & Sullivan, a globally leading growth consulting firm (Frost & Sullivan, abbreviated as 'Frost & Sullivan').

Against the backdrop of ongoing global political and economic turmoil and accelerating reshaping of industrial patterns, China's manufacturing industry is at a crossroads of profound transformation and strategic opportunities. On one hand, intelligent technology has become a core driving force, with new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, industrial Internet, and robotics fully integrating into production processes, pushing industries towards high-end, green, and intelligent development, continuously improving manufacturing efficiency and autonomous innovation capabilities. On the other hand, 'going global' is no longer just an option but a necessity for Chinese manufacturing enterprises to achieve growth and diversify risks. More and more enterprises are actively exploring emerging markets and high-end markets through overseas investment, cross-border mergers and acquisitions, global supply chain collaboration, and localized layouts.

Against this backdrop, the 2025 Frost & Sullivan New Investment Conference specially planned and launched the Overseas Investment Summit Forum. The forum was successfully held on August 27th, with the theme of 'Intelligent Navigation Across Seas, Connecting Globally'. It brought together global industry leaders, intelligent manufacturing enterprises, high-end manufacturing enterprises, investment institutions, and professional service providers to deeply analyze the development path of intelligent manufacturing in China and discuss the new trends in the global innovative development of Chinese enterprises.

Jia Pang, Partner and Managing Director of Frost & Sullivan Greater China, delivered a welcome speech at the Overseas Sub-forum. Jia Pang stated that the overseas expansion of intelligent technology is not only a focus at the national strategic level but also a field that receives high attention from the capital market. As a global leading consulting firm, Frost & Sullivan provides professional services to various sub-sectors of the intelligent technology industry, helping and witnessing the rise and overseas expansion of a number of growth-oriented star enterprises. With the continuous development of new technologies and the emergence of new economic models, how to form synergies and embark on a global innovation path is an important issue that we are concerned about for a long time. Frost & Sullivan has specially hosted this Overseas Sub-forum with the theme of 'Intelligent Navigation Across Seas, Connecting Globally', aiming to discuss with participating guests the future development path of Chinese intelligent manufacturing enterprises through sessions such as keynote speeches, roundtable discussions, and white paper releases.

Eight major professional topics to discuss the development opportunities of China's intelligent manufacturing going global

The conference session was presented by Robin Joffe, a partner at Frost & Sullivan and President of the Middle East, South Asia, and North Africa region. His presentation theme was 'Branding Globalization of Chinese Enterprises and How to Succeed in the Middle East Market', sharing challenges faced by Chinese brands in international expansion and how to develop growth plans. He pointed out that difficulties and challenges in the process of internationalization include regulations and permits, cultural adaptability, operational expansion, geopolitics, brand trust and perception, market entry strategies, revenue growth, and more. Enterprises can develop and integrate into the Middle East market by collaborating with local legal advisors or corporate registration consultants to convey localized brand images and information, establishing partnerships with local distributors, obtaining regional certifications and setting up regional centers, and equipping with local human resources and operational teams. He emphasized that winning in the Middle East is not just about entering new markets; the key lies in gaining a foothold, and enterprises need to plan how to achieve success and maintain resilience.

Liu Jun, Chairman of Rilian Technology, delivered a speech titled "Rilian Technology's Intelligent Manufacturing for Overseas Expansion: X-Ray Illuminating the World." He analyzed the industry's development trends and market opportunities in depth by combining Rilian Technology's overview, overseas strategic layout, and experience in investing overseas. Rilian Technology is a leading enterprise in China's industrial X-ray field, focusing on solving "bottleneck" problems, with technology reaching "internationally advanced and domestically leading" levels. Based on Singapore's strong financial and high-tech industries, Rilian Technology has set it as the main front for overseas acquisitions and mergers. Rilian Technology has six manufacturing bases, research and development centers, and a vast dealer network globally, with products sold to more than 70 countries. He emphasized that the preferred destination for overseas expansion should be the world's industrial manufacturing centers: Southeast Asia receives more domestic industrial transfers, offering better conditions for business expansion and operational convenience; in Europe, Hungary is suitable for Rilian's development in Europe due to industrial synergy, geographical location, taxation, and other aspects. Finally, he pointed out that China has the most complete upstream and downstream industrial chains and supply chains, as well as the highest concentration of high-quality industrial talents. He reminded enterprises that "going global is very hot, but don't get carried away."

Hazmi Yusof, Senior Vice President of Frost & Sullivan and Head of Malaysia, delivered a speech titled "ASEAN: The World's Fifth-largest Economy and the Dynamic Growth Opportunities Faced by Chinese Investors in 2025 and Beyond", sharing insights on the current situation, trends, and growth opportunities of ASEAN. He pointed out that ASEAN is an important emerging economy and regional cooperation organization globally, with a vast overall GDP scale. However, member countries exhibit significant differences in economic development levels: Singapore, as an international financial center, is highly developed, while Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, etc., are in a medium development stage with relatively complete industrial systems, while Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, etc., are still at a relatively underdeveloped level. ASEAN is one of the world's most open and dynamic regions, and China has been its largest trading partner for many consecutive years. He noted that ASEAN draws on "Chinese experience" by strengthening connectivity (covering infrastructure construction such as roads, railways, and air transport) and promoting the development of special economic zones to promote regional integration and overall economic growth. As the world's fifth-largest economy, ASEAN is in a stage of rapid development, with eight trends and growth opportunities including: digital transformation, supply chain and logistics upgrading, consumer behavior changes, food technology and safety, energy transition, healthcare transformation, fintech and digital commerce, as well as semiconductors and advanced manufacturing.

Dr. Wu Yanjun, Executive Director and Secretary of the Board of Directors of RP Luneng, shared his insights on the company's overview, industrial chain layout, and challenges in going global under the theme of "The Road to Collaborative Industrial Chain Layout for RP Luneng." He pointed out that in 2024, the domestic penetration rate of new energy vehicles will slow down due to competition in the power battery market, while the penetration rate of new energy vehicles in major overseas automotive markets is relatively low. He stated that the main strategic significance of RP Luneng's overseas expansion is to enhance its international brand strength, integrate into the global industrial chain, adapt to the supply chains of overseas automakers, quickly respond to customer needs, and obtain raw materials locally. Taking the planning of RP Luneng's Indonesian production base as an example, Indonesia has a population of over 270 million, with a surge in demand for new energy vehicles, huge market potential, and Indonesia leads the world in nickel reserves, which are key raw materials for batteries. Additionally, the Indonesian government encourages localization of the battery industry and actively builds a new energy vehicle industrial chain, which has several favorable factors for going global. Finally, he emphasized that Chinese companies must deeply understand the policies, regulations, culture, and risks of different countries, establish an effective, comprehensive, and targeted compliance system, and continuous technological research and innovation are the foundation for enterprises to stand firm in the market.

Hiroshi Yamamura, President of Frost & Sullivan Japan, delivered a speech on the theme of "New Consumption Trends in Japan." Combining the overall situation of the Japanese consumer market and changes in consumer values and behaviors, he shared key points that Chinese enterprises should pay attention to. He pointed out that Japan has already taken the lead in emerging trends such as "ultra-aging," "low fertility," "urban population concentration," and "single-family households," which are becoming a precursor to models that China and other Asian countries will face in the future. He believes that elderly groups, millennials and Generation Z, single women, and the DINK (Dieting, Not Kicking Up Kids) demographic are target groups worthy of attention. In the future, Japanese consumption trends will mainly revolve around sustainability, efficiency, and a sense of security: consumers are paying more attention to reducing environmental load and resource recycling, valuing "cost-effectiveness" over simply price, as well as product safety and long-term warranties. Chinese enterprises should focus on conveying "quality, assurance, and trust" that meet Japanese consumers' preferences, as well as paying attention to language, culture, and laws and regulations.

Dr. Wang Haiming, Chief Scientist of Lingkai Technology, shared his insights on "The Road to Globalization Breakthrough with New Materials." Wang Haiming discussed the industry trends and opportunities for going global in the new materials market, as well as Lingkai Technology's strategic layout and core strategies for going global. He pointed out that trends such as green and low-carbon, high-performance, digitalization, and cross-border integration are profoundly shaping the global competitive landscape. He stated that policy dividends continue to be released, technological iteration accelerates domestic substitution, and supply chain and cost advantages are three major strengths for Chinese enterprises going global. Lingkai Technology values globalization market layout, actively seeks cooperation opportunities with more high-quality customers, and has successfully built a diversified industrial ecosystem spanning medicine, new energy, and new materials, promoting the company's sustainable development. Lingkai Technology's core strategies for going global include diversified markets, technological breakthroughs, digital empowerment, and green leadership. Through continuous and in-depth commercialization layout, Lingkai Technology's business has covered five continents globally and established good cooperative relationships with more than 5,000 pharmaceutical enterprises and research institutions.

Pang Jun, Deputy General Manager of Zinc Shield Technology, shared her insights on the theme of 'A New Global Chapter for High-Performance Anti-corrosion Materials', focusing on the core capabilities of Zinc Shield Technology and the new global chapter. She pointed out that going global is an inevitable trend, with the main driving force for enterprises going overseas being the 'red ocean' dilemma in the domestic market, while the proactive pull is the huge opportunity of the global market. Zinc Shield Technology's competitive advantages lie in bionic anti-fouling and drag-reducing coatings, high-solidity solvent-free container coatings, and underwater curing coatings. She noted that China's marine economy scale has exceeded 9 trillion, presenting a blue ocean opportunity with huge anti-corrosion demand, especially in fields such as ships, offshore platforms, and cross-sea bridges. Zinc Shield Technology aims at the opportunity of domestic substitution in high-end markets. Finally, she emphasized that the mission and vision of Zinc Shield Technology is to make steel structures 'anti-corrosion in China' a global standard, from the 'single-point breakthrough' of cold spraying zinc to the 'systemic victory' of global anti-corrosion, redefining the value of anti-corrosion with technology.

Yang Shujuan, the managing partner of EY China Beijing, shared her insights on "Chinese Enterprises & 'High Quality' Going Global on a New Journey" with the theme of "Chinese Enterprises & 'High Quality' Going Global". Yang Shujuan discussed her insights into the trends, challenges, key considerations, strategic planning, and implementation plans of Chinese enterprises going global in recent years. She pointed out that compared to other countries and regions around the world, Chinese enterprises have risen against the odds, continuously increasing their internationalization efforts and entering a new stage of global expansion. The engine for Chinese enterprises going global has shifted gears, with new quality productivity driving the deep development of "Made in China" globally. The pace of overseas investment and mergers and acquisitions has slowed down, with greenfield investment becoming one of the main models for Chinese enterprises going global. In terms of industries, advanced manufacturing and TMT are hot sectors for overseas investment and mergers and acquisitions. Chinese enterprises going global mainly focus on three themes: high-quality products, diversified cooperation, and localized operations. This is manifested in: the leading chain enterprises have a significant driving effect, creating industrial and innovation ecosystems to go global together; enterprises diversify their partners and go global models according to industry characteristics and different development stages; the single-point breakthrough model of setting up trading enterprises in the past has transformed into localized in-depth development, with the trend of local sales + local R&D + integrated local supply chain layout becoming prevalent.

Focus on the New Functional Materials Industry: The "White Paper on the Development of the New Functional Materials Industry" is officially released

At the meeting, Frost & Sullivan released the 'White Paper on the Development of the New Functional Materials Industry'. The report focuses on analyzing the current development status, characteristics, driving factors, and future development trends of the global new functional materials industry. Its aim is to systematically sort out the ecosystem and industrial development pattern of the new functional materials industry for the global industry community, providing cutting-edge insights for market observers and investors.

The report starts from the development environment of new functional materials, specifically compares the characteristics of different current functional materials, delves into key sub-sectors such as lithium battery materials, compares the performance characteristics and market potential of different material systems, analyzes the current development status and trends of the new functional materials industry, shows the practical paths of Chinese enterprises in technological innovation, international layout, and industrial collaboration, and highlights the important role of new functional materials.

Roundtable Discussion: Collaborative Breakthroughs and Ecological Co-construction for Enterprises Going Global

Chinese enterprises are facing unprecedented overseas development opportunities and challenges. To delve deeper into this topic, a roundtable discussion titled 'Collaborative Breakthroughs and Ecological Co-construction for Enterprises Going Global' was held at the conference. Key guests from leading enterprises in the intelligent manufacturing industry chain and professional service institutions shared their experiences and insights with us.

Dr. Wu Yanjun, Executive Director and Secretary of the Board of Frost & Sullivan Rui Pulan Group, Dr. Wang Haiming, Chief Scientist of Lingkai Technology, and Song Congyue, Audit Partner at the Shanghai Office of EY Hua Ming Accounting Firm (Special General Partnership), engaged in an in-depth discussion on several cutting-edge topics. By pooling the wisdom of all parties and combining perspectives from experts in different fields, they analyzed the trends in the overseas development of the intelligent technology industry from multiple dimensions, shared successful experiences, discussed innovative ideas, and aimed to promote the healthy development of Chinese enterprises in the global market. Xu Biao, Executive Director of Frost & Sullivan Greater China, served as the host of this roundtable discussion.

Dr. Wu Yanjun, Executive Director and Secretary of the Board of Directors of Ruipu Lanjun, stated that enterprises should make choices based on different purposes and periods when going global. For Ruipu, it tends to focus on building its own production capacity, but it can consider mergers and acquisitions to enhance its influence. He believes that mergers and acquisitions are often good opportunities during economic crises or when a company faces financial difficulties.

Dr. Wang Haiming, Chief Scientist at Lingkai Technology, stated that Lingkai mainly goes global in the form of products, building international market awareness and applying for Chinese and international patents in key technology fields. He emphasized that enterprises should consider whether to go global based on their own circumstances.

Song Congyue, an audit partner at the Shanghai branch of EY Hua Ming Certified Public Accountants (Special General Partnership), stated that in recent years, Chinese enterprises have been going global more frequently. On one hand, this is due to the continuous strengthening of China's national strength, and on the other hand, it is because we have developed a set of effective Chinese practices. He believes that during the process of enterprise globalization, planning is the most important aspect. One should plan thoroughly before taking action, consider issues from different levels, propose specific solutions, and evaluate the overall commercial feasibility analysis.

With wonderful presentations and a collision of ideas, the Frost & Sullivan China Marine & Offshore Forum successfully concluded amidst warm applause. We would like to express our gratitude to all the distinguished guests and experts for their support of the Frost & Sullivan China Marine & Offshore Forum.