Chinese Premier Li Qiang called for a shift in the global narrative toward "China Opportunity 2.0" during the Summer Davos in Dalian [1].

This push to rebrand China's economic image comes as the country seeks to counter Western concerns regarding its industrial growth and portray itself as a collaborative, tech-driven partner.

The event, the 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions [2], opened with a plenary session on July 2, 2026 [1]. During the summit, Li said the Western narrative of "China Shock 2.0" is not grounded in facts and should instead be viewed as an opportunity [1].

Industry leaders noted that the perception of China's role in global innovation has evolved. Aparna Bharadwaj, managing director at Boston Consulting Group, said that the old stereotypes regarding global roles have faded.

"One of the most common refrains you used to hear 10 years ago was ‘US innovates, China imitates, and Europe regulates'. Today, I don't hear that anymore," Bharadwaj said [3].

Chinese officials used the forum to present the economy as more open and inclusive. By emphasizing a collaborative growth story, the government aims to distance itself from the image of an imitator, and instead position the nation as a primary driver of global technological advancement [4].

The Dalian summit served as a platform to challenge the "China Shock" framing—a term often used by economists to describe the impact of Chinese imports on Western manufacturing—by replacing it with a framework of mutual benefit [1, 4].

“"The western narrative of ‘China Shock 2.0’ is not grounded in facts and instead should be phrased as ‘China Opportunity 2.0’."”

The transition from 'imitation' to 'opportunity' reflects China's strategic attempt to move up the value chain and secure its position as a global innovation hub. By actively challenging the 'China Shock' narrative at a high-profile forum like Davos, Beijing is attempting to mitigate trade tensions and encourage foreign investment by framing its technological ascent as a global benefit rather than a competitive threat.