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Invest Shanghai
The Sino-Swiss Business Forum 2026, organized by SwissCham China's Shanghai Chapter and supported by several organizations, including Shanghai Foreign Investment Development Board, was held on Thursday to mark SwissCham China's 30th anniversary and provide a platform for businesses to exchange ideas on the latest market trends across industries.
Themed "Innovation, Trust, and Digitalization," the forum attracted over 300 representatives from multinational companies, government bodies, organizations, and institutes.
Three sub-forums, focused on innovation, trust and digitalization, were organized. Companies such as Belimo, Logitech, Schindler, Straumann and UBS hosted discussions to share their latest insights on the Chinese market. Their discussions covered a wide range of topics, including the dynamics behind China's fast-evolving consumer ecosystems and how international and local brands are developing high-performance go-to-market strategies in an increasingly complex and digitally-driven environment.
They also explored the growing complexity faced by Swiss industrial companies as automation and AI reshape business-to-business sales models and aftermarket service delivery in China, as well as China's rapidly aging population, which presents both a structural challenge and a significant commercial opportunity.
Discussions also touched on China's changing role in the global market and the next frontier of Sino-Swiss business collaboration, shifting beyond traditional joint ventures toward agile New-Co models that can swiftly respond to market realities. Additionally, the AI and data center boom in China was highlighted as creating new opportunities for Swiss precision technology companies in the country's next growth wave, inspiring more businesses to explore these emerging possibilities.
An interactive exhibition was also held to showcase Swiss innovation, craftsmanship and culture in an engaging and immersive format, offering attendees the opportunity to connect directly with exhibitors and sponsors.
The exclusive government-corporate dialogue was a significant part of the business forum, bringing together senior Swiss multinational executives and Chinese government representatives for meaningful communication. This high-level roundtable served as a platform for policy feedback on market access, regulatory reforms and investment conditions. It also facilitated dialogue on future-oriented economic cooperation between Swiss businesses and local governments, and aimed to deepen bilateral economic diplomacy in a changing geopolitical environment.
The business forum concluded with VIP keynote speeches and a gala dinner in the evening, attended by senior leaders from the Swiss and Chinese business communities, official delegations, and long-standing SwissCham members to celebrate three decades of the chamber's presence in China. The evening honored the relationships, milestones and shared achievements that have defined SwissCham Shanghai since its founding and set the stage for the next chapter of Sino-Swiss collaboration.