Heads of state and political leaders gathered at ‘Summer Davos’. Here’s what they had to say

Over 1,700 participants from more than 90 countries gathered this week in Tianjin, People’s Republic of China, for the World Economic Forum’s 16th Annual Meeting of the New Champions (AMNC), an event commonly known as ‘Summer Davos’.

The meeting, held under the theme “Entrepreneurship for a New Era”, welcomed leaders from business, government, civil society, international organizations, media and academia to share insights and drive action on shared challenges. The topics of discussion focused on five key areas: deciphering the world economy, outlook on China, industries disrupted, investing in people and planet, and new energy and materials.

Attendees also included more than 150 top political leaders, including several heads of state and government, from dozens of countries, many of whom spoke publicly about the geopolitical and technological challenges facing the global economy.

Here are some highlights from their public remarks.

In the AMNC Opening Plenary, Chinese Premier Li Qiang underscored China’s commitment to openness, innovation and global cooperation, stating that "division and disruption often originate from short-sighted calculations. What we need are more bridges."

Li also highlighted China’s dual role as a manufacturing and rapidly growing consumption powerhouse, noting its strategy to boost domestic demand for high-quality development.

"In China today, high-speed railways traverse numerous mountains and rivers," Li stated. "Electric vehicles are serving millions of households and artificial intelligence is empowering thousands of industries. China’s innovation is open and open source."

Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko outlined his government’s transformation 'Senegal Vision 2050' agenda, which details a long-term plan focused on building a resilient economy, advancing digital sovereignty, and fighting corruption through transparent governance.

"Our priorities are clear: economic resilience, human capital, urban reform and virtuous governance," said Sonko.

Sonko also made a case for Africa’s global relevance, stating that Africa is the "only continent where everything still needs to be built. It holds immense potential - industrial, digital, demographic. Now is the time to focus on Africa."

On his first official visit to China since taking office in May, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong urged leaders at AMNC to choose cooperation over confrontation.

"Global rules are weakening, global institutions are weakening, and economic nationalism is replacing win-win cooperation," Wong warned.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh of Viet Nam shared his country's vision for continued economic growth and geopolitical balance, stating that Viet Nam aims to boost growth to be a "developed, high-income country" by 2045.

"If we are to realise that, we need 8% this year and two-digit growth in the years to come," he said, adding that Viet Nam has shifted to a "multi-sector" and “globally integrated" economy, supported by both internal and external resources.

In a session titled Safeguarding Growth Engines, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa Azín joined other panellists to explore how rising protectionism, shifting demographics and the digital economy are reshaping global growth.

"40% of our population is between the ages of 14 and 35. How are we going to employ that mass of people? How are we going to educate them and understand their feelings?" Azín stated.

Speaking at the AMNC25 Opening Press Conference, Egyptian Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat discussed the need for increase the inclusion of women in the global economy, calling the World Economic Forum’s latest Global Gender Gap a "wake-up call".

"We need to be mindful that if there is more inclusion, our economies will be able to move forward faster," she said.

Speaking during a session titled Trade: Trends and Endgame, Italian Deputy Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy Valentino Valentini called for collaboration and partnerships to be the foundation of the global economy.

"Dialogue is the only way forward," he said. "There are no winners in a trade war."

Speaking in the Trade: Trends and Endgame session, Egyptian Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Hassan Elkhatib stated that trading relationships must be nurtured.

"We need to make sure that we reach balanced trade agreements, but not through tariffs," he said. "It is through investments and trade."

See below for video of the full Trade: Trends and Endgames session:

Speaking on a panel titled Is Asia's Century at Risk?, Sri Lankan Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Sunil Handunneththi explored the various factors hindering economic growth in Asia.

Handunneththi noted that "geopolitical risk, demographic challenges, environmental threats and internal political dynamics" all create roadblocks for growth.

Speaking in a session titled Where is Belt and Road Heading?, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic Adylbek Kasymaliev praised the Belt and Road initiative and detailed how his country is working to be a "key logistics hub" in the region.

"In the current geopolitical condition, the initiative of the Belt and Road has become a sought after integration platform for cooperation," he said.

Speaking in a session titled Elements of Change: Energy and Materials, Serbian Minister of Domestic and Foreign Trade Jagoda Lazarević discussed the importance of fostering innovation and building strong industry ecosystems, especially in small countries.

"We have a rising start-up community," she said, adding that a key challenge is attracting "venture capital in order to make the brilliant ideas live and prosper."

In a session titled Entrepreneurship for a New Era, Rwandan Minister of Information Communication Technology and Innovation Paula Ingabire spoke about the need to create supportive ecosystems for entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurship and innovation "do not happen in a vacuum," she said. "They are very much dependent on having the right policy environment in place."

See the video below for the full Entrepreneurship for a New Era session.