2026 Summer Davos highlights innovation, sustainability, cooperation

DALIAN - Outside the conference venue in the northeastern Chinese port city of Dalian, fleets of sleek electric cars glide quietly through the streets, autonomous buses shuttle between designated stops, and hydrogen-powered coaches stand ready to transport delegates arriving for the 2026 Summer Davos forum.

More than a logistical showcase, the vehicles offer an early glimpse of the themes set to anchor discussions at this year's gathering: technological innovation, green transformation and international cooperation in an increasingly uncertain global economy.

Scheduled from Tuesday to Thursday, the event, officially known as the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions, is expected to bring together over 1,700 participants from more than 90 countries and regions to explore how the world can navigate global challenges while creating new opportunities for growth.

Under the theme of "Innovating at Scale," this year's meeting will feature discussions on topics including the next phase of China's economic trajectory and how to translate technological advances into real economic benefits.

The two questions feature prominently on the forum's agenda, where artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics appear throughout. A dedicated session will be organized on some of China's hottest tech trends, including the setting up and training of personal AI agents, the rise of one-person companies (OPCs), and the growing adoption of humanoid robots in factories.

Mounting interest in these topics is being fueled by the rapid expansion of China's AI industry. The number of the country's AI companies topped 6,000 in 2025, with the value of its core AI industry estimated to exceed 1.2 trillion yuan ($176.1 billion). According to statistics from the OECD, Chinese AI firms attracted $13.9 billion in global venture capital investment in 2025, ranking third worldwide.

Yet the conversation extends beyond technological opportunity. Building on discussions from previous years, the meeting will also delve deeper into the challenges posed by AI, including unequal access to the technology, privacy and security concerns, and information overload.

Beyond innovation, green development is another keyword at this year's forum.

That commitment is visible throughout the forum's operations. New energy vehicles will account for more than 80 percent of the forum's transportation fleet, while the Dalian International Conference Center, the main venue, will run entirely on green electricity. Its air-conditioning system will also employ seawater-source heat pump technology, helping cut energy consumption by more than 30 percent.

"All these efforts fully showcase Dalian's dedication to a clean, energy-saving and resource-recycling approach in hosting the event," said Li Qiang, mayor of the city.

The application of these principles is also evident in the host city's industrial transformation. Leveraging its unique coastal geography, Dalian has been steadily expanding its clean-energy industrial chain.

In the fields of hydrogen production, storage and transportation, fuel cells and hydrogen applications, the city is now home to more than 50 enterprises and research institutions, forming a relatively complete industrial chain.

By sharing these experiences in a global conversation, the forum seeks to serve a broader purpose - fostering dialogue on how countries can navigate an increasingly complex world.

"The World Economic Forum has always brought leaders together to tackle the biggest challenges affecting the world and used dialogue and collaboration to look at solutions," said Alois Zwinggi, World Economic Forum president and chief executive officer. "At a time of economic uncertainty, geopolitical tension and rapid technological change, this meeting is an opportunity to focus on practical solutions."

China's experience and solutions are set to remain in the spotlight, as partners show increasing interest in deepening collaboration with the country.

This interest is reflected in continued foreign investment. In 2025, more than 8,000 overseas-funded enterprises increased their investment in China, up over 10 percent year on year. From January to April this year, over 3,000 overseas-funded enterprises made additional investments in the country, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce in May.

With China expressing its continued willingness to share development opportunities with the global community, the country's next stage of development is expected to remain closely intertwined with global growth.

The country rolled out its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) in March this year. The blueprint not only charts the course of China's own development, but also underscores its commitment to making continued contributions to global growth, which has already achieved significant spillover effects, said Gao Weiqi, an official with the National Development and Reform Commission.

"China's healthy and stable development will inject greater certainty and new momentum into the world economy," said Gao.

Established by the World Economic Forum in 2007, the Summer Davos forum is held annually in China, alternating between the two port cities of Tianjin and Dalian.