China is expected to make the largest contribution to global economic growth in 2026, driven by resilient expansion and rising investment in innovation, the president of the World Economic Forum (WEF) said in an interview ahead of the forum’s annual meeting.
Borge Brende, president of the WEF, told Chinese official news agency Xinhua that China’s economy is forecast to exceed 5 percent growth this year, showing strong resilience amid global headwinds and continuing to “contribute most to global growth.” He said this performance reflects China’s consolidation of strengths in traditional sectors and active expansion into new areas through increased research, development and innovation.
Brende noted that China has pivoted toward what he described as the fifth industrial revolution, where advancing technologies offer “huge opportunities for productivity gains and growth in the years to come.” He highlighted China’s leadership roles in manufacturing wind turbines, solar equipment and electric vehicles — sectors seen as key to future economic expansion.
From a global perspective, the WEF president said that despite geopolitical complexities and trade tensions, including tariff impacts, the global economy has been “surprisingly resilient.” He warned that potential escalations of wars remain a major risk that could undermine global growth, but if such conflicts are avoided, world economic expansion could exceed 3 percent in 2026. Brende also emphasized China’s role in upholding multilateralism and strengthening global cooperation, even as traditional multilateral mechanisms face challenges. The WEF Annual Meeting 2026 is scheduled from January 19 to 23 in Davos, Switzerland, with nearly 3,000 participants expected to attend discussions on growth, cooperation and investment in people.