Tech Titans Share Vision on Emerging Industries at Development Forum

At the "Technological Innovation and Future Industry Development" session of the China Development Forum 2026 Annual Meeting held on March 22, Xiaomi Corp. founder, Chairman, and CEO Lei Jun, Alibaba Group Chairman Joe Tsai, and TCL founder and Chairman Li Dongsheng shared their insights on the development of emerging and future industries.

Lei Jun stated that China's comprehensive industrial ecosystem provides fertile ground for the growth of future industries. He pointed out that this year marks the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan period, with a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation accelerating profound evolution. Cultivating and strengthening future industries, as a strategic move to shape new drivers of development and gain new competitive advantages for the future, represents both a major strategic layout at the national level and a significant development opportunity for all innovative enterprises.

Regarding how technological innovation can promote the development of future industries, Lei Jun emphasized that the depth and breadth of existing industrial foundations directly influence the speed and height of future industrial development. For instance, Xiaomi Corp. has been developing embodied intelligence robots, which rely not only on breakthroughs in intelligent algorithms but also on supporting components such as precision reducers and servo motors. A rich variety of innovation pathways, a complete industrial system, and strong industrial supporting capabilities will be the fertile soil for future industry growth.

"Cultivating future industries requires embracing uncertainty, and China is the most suitable market for developing highly uncertain industries," Lei Jun said. The ultra-large-scale market provides initial momentum and validation space, while enterprises, linking technology and users, drive technological optimization, iteration, and commercial implementation through open supply chains and application scenarios. This entire positive feedback mechanism, driven by large-scale market demand iteration from need to technology, to scenario, to industry, is China's unique advantage.

Lei Jun noted that in its first decade, Xiaomi Corp. participated in promoting the popularization of smartphones and mobile internet. Currently, Xiaomi Corp. is further deepening its foundations in areas like large models, embodied intelligence, and 6G, strengthening its conversion capabilities, and striving to advance the popularization of future industries for public benefit.

Alibaba Group Chairman Joe Tsai stated that the development of Chinese technology has always been based on independent innovation, upholding the principles of openness, open source, and mutual benefit, and is committed to sharing development achievements with countries worldwide. If the past few decades were a period of "accumulation" for Chinese technology, today China has entered an explosive period of "diverse flourishing." From new energy and electric vehicles to high-end manufacturing, and breakthroughs in robotics and artificial intelligence, China is at the best moment to share technological development and achievements with the world.

In Tsai's view, breakthroughs in Chinese AI depend on an open-source belief based on mutual benefit. In 2025, the global download volume of Chinese open-source models led the world, allowing developers everywhere to freely access, fine-tune, and deploy these powerful models, significantly lowering the global barrier to using AI and making intelligent technology a true public good for all humanity.

Tsai emphasized that the ultimate goal of AI is to popularize its application and benefit society, and Alibaba's sole direction is continuous innovation. "Alibaba's development is rooted in China, and we are full of confidence in the future of the Chinese market and Chinese economy. We are actively promoting the implementation of applications in personal consumption, enterprise, healthcare, and financial sectors, entering an era driven by agent AI." Tsai expressed that in this era and environment full of uncertainty, Chinese technology has both the willingness and the capability to provide certainty. "I firmly believe that the achievements of Chinese technology will benefit the globe."

TCL founder and Chairman Li Dongsheng stated that building a modern industrial system is a systematic project that requires both the hard support of technological breakthroughs and capital investment, and the soft environment of institutional innovation and open collaboration, necessitating an even more open posture to embrace the world.

Li pointed out that emerging pillar industries like integrated circuits, new display technologies, new energy, and new materials generally exhibit characteristics of high technology, heavy assets, and long cycles. The journey from frontier technology R&D to industrial implementation cannot be separated from the dual-wheel drive of technology and capital. "Facing future competition, enterprises should increase investment in basic technology research and effectively bridge the technology application path from the laboratory to industrialization," he said.

Li also indicated that China's advanced manufacturing sector is currently in a stage of capital accumulation. Direct financing, particularly equity financing, is the main channel for forming long-term capital. Enterprises should utilize policy financial tools to provide long-term, stable equity-based financing. He suggested that regulatory bodies relax financing approval restrictions for advanced manufacturing, facilitating leading enterprises in raising capital through capital markets and engaging in industrial mergers and acquisitions, thereby forming a virtuous cycle where technological breakthroughs and capital returns mutually reinforce each other.

Li Dongsheng stated that the 15th Five-Year Plan categorizes manufacturing into traditional, emerging, and future industries, but these three are not simply sequential or substitutive; rather, they represent a relationship of mutual empowerment and symbiotic prosperity. Vast application scenarios provide the soil for AI technologies to be implemented and validated. Simultaneously, the application of new technologies pressures hardware manufacturers to enhance their R&D and manufacturing capabilities, promoting an overall leap forward for Chinese manufacturing through mutual empowerment and cultivating a group of world-class technology brands with global competitiveness.

"The process of China's economic globalization still holds enormous potential. As main economic entities, enterprises should also proactively expand foreign investment and international cooperation," Li said. He added that enterprises need to achieve a globalization transformation, moving towards Globalization 3.0—evolving from product export to jointly building industrial capabilities, taking root overseas, integrating locally, and enhancing global resource allocation capabilities.