China is now and will continue to be an important global manufacturing center in the future "(Witness · China Opportunities) - Interview with Jia Borui, Global CEO of Royal Philips in the Netherlands

China is Philips' second largest market in the world, and understanding China's development is crucial for us. In order to stay close to the Chinese market, I come to China every quarter. I am delighted to see that the Chinese economy has continued to stabilize and improve since the beginning of this year, and the consumer market has maintained a steady growth trend, which brings important opportunities for Philips' development. "Recently, Jia Borui, Global CEO of Royal Philips in the Netherlands, said in an interview with our reporter.

Recently, thanks to the recovery of consumption in the Chinese market, Philips' terminal sales in China have also achieved growth, which is very encouraging, "Jia Borui said. In 2024, Philips' healthy living business accounted for about 20% of global sales, and the Chinese consumer market has made a huge contribution to the development of this business.

Currently, China plays an important role in Philips' global innovation network, "Jia Borui said. China continues to promote high-level opening up to the outside world, develops rapidly in the field of artificial intelligence, and steadily implements the" Healthy China 2030 "plan, which brings huge opportunities for Philips' development in China. Philips is actively preparing to build the Beijing Innovation Center, accelerating innovation "in China, for China" and promoting technological breakthroughs "in China, for the world". He believes that China has a huge market size and massive data, as well as a very strong team of researchers and engineers, which enables many artificial intelligence developments to be carried out efficiently. China has made significant progress in the field of artificial intelligence, and the development speed and application capabilities of basic models have amazed the world, "said Jia Borui.

Jia Borui stated that Philips is utilizing resources such as China's talent pool and innovation ecosystem to develop specific applications that can support China's local healthcare system while contributing to global development. Philips has established close research cooperation with top universities, hospitals, and industry partners in China for a long time. Chinese medical innovation achievements are moving towards the world. China's artificial intelligence capacity building will not only better support local medical needs, but also provide reference for global innovation practices, "said Jia Borui.

China is and will continue to be an important global manufacturing center, demonstrating production and innovation potential in fields such as healthcare, consumer electronics, and automotive. Jia Borui stated that China's economic growth is highly endogenous, driving manufacturing practices and innovative development. These innovative developments will provide even more powerful impetus for economic growth.

China actively maintains the stability of the production and supply chain through its own actions, leaving a deep impression on Jia Borui. For example, in the production of medical devices, we have received support from relevant Chinese departments to ensure stable supply of key raw materials. He said that currently, Philips has five production bases in China, which contribute greatly to Philips' global product production. Among them, the Suzhou Medical Imaging Base is further expanding. "China's production base can not only meet the demand of the local market, but also supply other regions in the world.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Europe. Jia Borui said that Philips is willing to be a bridge for cooperation between Europe and China. Europe and China have always been strong partners of each other, and we look forward to a deeper relationship between the two sides in the future. We advocate building bridges rather than walls to create the best conditions for innovation investment, "Jia Borui said. Philips will continue to promote two-way exchanges and cooperation between academic institutions, companies, hospitals and other talents in Europe and China.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Philips' investment in China. Jia Borui said that Philips is full of confidence in its future development in China. China has a huge demand for healthcare, and the "Healthy China 2030" plan outlines clear development goals, providing Philips with broader space for future development in China. Philips is committed to long-term development in China, and we are investing in innovation and more manufacturing facilities. We believe that we will make greater progress in China in the future, "said Jabori.