Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with global business leaders Merlin Swire, chairman of Swire Pacific Limited, and Vas Narasimhan, CEO of Novartis, on Monday in Beijing. The meetings took place during the China Development Forum 2025, signaling China’s commitment to deepening international economic cooperation.
In his discussion with Merlin Swire, Han emphasized China’s dedication to economic globalization and the upholding of world trade rules. He highlighted that China’s continued reform and opening up will bring more stability and certainty to global economic development.
“Swire Pacific Limited has achieved remarkable growth in both the Chinese mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region,” Han said. He expressed hope that the company would actively contribute to the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Hainan Free Trade Port. Han also encouraged support for Hong Kong’s role as an international aviation hub.
During his meeting with Vas Narasimhan, Han praised Novartis as a leading innovative pharmaceutical company making significant contributions to global health. He noted that the Chinese government supports the research and development of innovative drugs and is committed to strengthening intellectual property rights protection. Han assured that China is striving to create a better environment for innovation for foreign companies, including Novartis.
“We hope Novartis will seize the opportunity to deepen and expand mutually beneficial cooperation and achieve greater development in China,” Han stated.
Both Swire and Narasimhan expressed optimism about China’s economic and social development. They voiced confidence in investing in China and committed to long-term cooperation. The leaders indicated plans to expand investment and work towards new achievements in mutually beneficial cooperation between their respective countries and China.
