China seen as innovation engine by CES participants

LAS VEGAS — At the CES 2024 in Las Vegas, cooperation with China was not a fresh topic, and this year's tech show saw foreign companies continue to seek opportunities in the Chinese market.

For these companies, China's rise as an innovation hub was viewed as an opportunity for collective progress.

"Qualcomm does not simply see China as a market, but as an opportunity for win-win cooperation between Qualcomm and the Chinese ecosystem," said Meng Pu, chairman of Qualcomm China.

The rapid development of China's mobile communications industry has benefited from Qualcomm; and without Chinese partners, Qualcomm would not have been able to develop rapidly, said Meng.

"As China's technology and economic and social development improve, Qualcomm faces more opportunities," Meng said.

Qualcomm has long been integrated into the Chinese smartphone supply chain.

In recent years, Qualcomm has forged close cooperation with the Chinese automotive industry. The ecosystem formed by Qualcomm and the many supply chains in China is "a mutually beneficial relationship", Meng added.

This sentiment was echoed by John Couling, senior vice-president of entertainment at Dolby Laboratories.

Dolby's Atmos FlexConnect unlocks a more extensive and immersive Dolby audio experience through the ability to seamlessly pair accessory wireless speakers with the TV's sound system while unlocking the flexibility to place each speaker wherever consumers choose.

"We have seen that new experiences can first start in China, with our Chinese partners, and then be brought to the global (arena)," he said. "This isn't just about selling technology — it's about co-creating and pushing the boundaries of what's possible," he added.

Meng said China's "fast-paced "innovation and the consumers who are good at embracing new ideas and new technologies are driving Dolby's development and speeding up its deployment of new technologies in the world.

Besides tech giants, smaller companies like German e-scooter maker Trittbrett also acknowledge the crucial role of Chinese innovation.

Yassine El Hajji, the company's marketing manager, said he saw "a lot of newest technologies "from China in the e-scooter industry.

"Without the new Chinese innovations, we won't get so far in Germany because lots of our technology and cooperation with international companies are established in China," he said.

"We have cooperated with Chinese companies and our e-scooters are manufactured in Changsha, China. China is strong in electric vehicle sectors, always keeping up with futuristic design and technologies," he noted.

John Morrow, insights lead of 3M Strategy and Business Development, believes China's focus on sustainability innovation holds immense potential.

"Expect to see Chinese innovations in sustainability and green energy," he said. "There's not to be one solution that solves all problems of the climate crisis. So the more ideas there are, I think the better all would be."

Morrow told Xinhua that 3M works with several manufacturers in China, where innovations are developing at a fast pace. "China attaches great importance to innovation capabilities. It is way ahead of others in the installation of solar energy. They are driving the industry," he said.

Chinese companies have been important forces at CES in recent years, impressing global exhibitors with innovative products and solutions, and showcasing the latest trends and innovations in the consumer electronics industry.

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, Liu Chun, vice-president of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products, expressed her confidence in China's increasingly important role in the consumer electronics industry.

She said with the development of China's economy, the expansion of market scale, the revolution of the technology sector, and the elevation in the value chain of the industry, the nation's status will be further consolidated.

"Judging from CES, an important global industry exhibition, in recent years, more Chinese technological innovation companies participating in the exhibition rely on quality and technology to win," she said. "In the global consumer electronics industry chain, especially in the upstream and midstream, more powerful Chinese suppliers have emerged."

Moreover, she said innovative consumer technology companies in China are also paying more attention to international operations, localization and global cooperation.

Xinhua