The Summer Davos Forum, organized by the World Economic Forum (WEF), opened in Dalian, China, on June 23, amid rising global economic uncertainty due to the war in Iran, U.S.-China tensions, and supply chain disruptions. The three-day event, which runs until June 25, gathers global leaders to explore future growth strategies centered on artificial intelligence (AI), advanced manufacturing, and energy transition.
According to China's state-run Global Times and Channel News Asia (CNA), this year marks the 17th edition of the forum, themed "Innovating at Scale." Participants will discuss the direction of global economic growth and how to leverage advanced technologies such as AI, robotics, biotechnology, and quantum computing as drivers of economic expansion.
More than 1,700 attendees from over 90 countries and regions, including government officials, business leaders, academics, and representatives from international organizations, are participating. South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, along with prime ministers from Bangladesh, Guinea, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Montenegro, are among the high-level officials present. According to the WEF, Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Prime Minister Kim are scheduled to deliver keynote speeches on June 24.
The forum is particularly noteworthy this year due to the heightened uncertainty in the global economy stemming from the ongoing war in Iran. CNA reported that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has lowered its global growth forecast to 3.1% this year, citing increased geopolitical risks. Participants are expected to address key issues such as supply chain restructuring, energy demand, and balancing sustainability goals.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated during a regular briefing that "the international situation is becoming increasingly chaotic and changeable, leading to greater instability and uncertainty in the global economy." She added that attendees would discuss ways to promote global economic growth and cooperation.
China aims to highlight messages of technological innovation and open cooperation at this forum. Alois Zwinggi, WEF Chairman and CEO, emphasized that the WEF has consistently brought leaders together to tackle the world's most pressing challenges through dialogue and collaboration. He noted that this meeting presents an opportunity to focus on practical solutions amid economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, and rapid technological change.
On the opening day, the WEF also released its report on the "Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2026." The report identifies notable technologies this year, including grid-connected energy, direct lithium extraction, passive cooling materials, PFAS degradation technology, precision fermentation, personalized mRNA cancer vaccines, quantum simulations for drug development, world AI models, and lattice-based cryptography.
The WEF stated that this year's meeting focuses on connecting technological innovation to actual economic growth and productivity improvements, noting that AI and emerging technologies, which have developed primarily in software, are now expanding into real economy sectors such as energy, healthcare, food, and materials. Stefan Mergenthaler, WEF Executive Director, highlighted that while each of these technologies has significant potential on its own, together they illustrate a larger trend in innovation.
Additionally, there is keen interest in whether Premier Li will outline China's future economic direction during his speech. CNA noted that the forum coincides with the implementation of China's 15th Five-Year Plan, which emphasizes technological innovation as a core component of the country's future growth strategy.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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