Understanding China 2025 Conference Highlights AI and Industrial Modernization

December 04, 2025
The Understanding China 2025 conference in Guangzhou focused on the country's 15th Five-Year Plan, global governance, and the role of AI in industrial modernization. Around 200 international participants from 72 countries attended the event.

The Understanding China 2025 conference opened in Guangzhou under the theme “New Plan, New Development, New Decisions — China’s Modernization and the New Vision of Global Governance,” announced in a press release. The event brought together government officials, academics, industry leaders, and representatives from international organizations to discuss the 15th Five-Year Plan and its global implications.

A dedicated forum titled “Shaping the Future: ‘Artificial Intelligence+’ in the Context of Industrial Modernization” was included in this year’s program, highlighting the role of AI in advancing China’s modernization strategy. The discussions focused on innovation, development, and cooperation in applying AI technologies across industries.

Approximately 200 participants from 72 countries and regions attended, with 70% representing nations from the Global South and most attending for the first time. Zheng Bijian, founding chairman of the China Institute for Innovation & Development Strategy, emphasized that China’s modernization approach continues to challenge the notion that modernization equates to Westernization.

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