This article is part of:Annual Meeting of the New Champions

• The 16th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, or ‘Summer Davos’, took place in Tianjin, People’s Republic of China, from 24-26 June.
• The gathering was held under the theme of “Entrepreneurship for a New Era”.
• The meeting welcomed over 150 top political leaders, including several heads of state and government, from dozens of countries.

Over 1,700 participants from more than 90 countries gathered this week in Tianjin, People’s Republic of China, for the World Economic Forum’s 16th Annual Meeting of the New Champions (AMNC), an event commonly known as ‘Summer Davos’.

The meeting, held under the theme “Entrepreneurship for a New Era”, welcomed leaders from business, government, civil society, international organizations, media and academia to share insights and drive action on shared challenges. The topics of discussion focused on five key areas: deciphering the world economy, outlook on China, industries disrupted, investing in people and planet, and new energy and materials.

Attendees also included more than 150 top political leaders, including several heads of state and government, from dozens of countries, many of whom spoke publicly about the geopolitical and technological challenges facing the global economy.

Here are some highlights from their public remarks.

Li Qiang, Premier of the People’s Republic of China

In the AMNC Opening Plenary, Chinese Premier Li Qiang underscored China’s commitment to openness, innovation and global cooperation, stating that "division and disruption often originate from short-sighted calculations. What we need are more bridges."

Li also highlighted China’s dual role as a manufacturing and rapidly growing consumption powerhouse, noting its strategy to boost domestic demand for high-quality development.

"In China today, high-speed railways traverse numerous mountains and rivers," Li stated. "Electric vehicles are serving millions of households and artificial intelligence is empowering thousands of industries. China’s innovation is open and open source."

Ousmane Sonko, Prime Minister of Senegal

Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko outlined his government’s transformation 'Senegal Vision 2050' agenda, which details a long-term plan focused on building a resilient economy, advancing digital sovereignty, and fighting corruption through transparent governance.

"Our priorities are clear: economic resilience, human capital, urban reform and virtuous governance," said Sonko.

Sonko also made a case for Africa’s global relevance, stating that Africa is the "only continent where everything still needs to be built. It holds immense potential - industrial, digital, demographic. Now is the time to focus on Africa."

Lawrence Wong, Prime Minister of Singapore

On his first official visit to China since taking office in May, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong urged leaders at AMNC to choose cooperation over confrontation.

"Global rules are weakening, global institutions are weakening, and economic nationalism is replacing win-win cooperation," Wong warned.

Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister of Viet Nam

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh of Viet Nam shared his country's vision for continued economic growth and geopolitical balance, stating that Viet Nam aims to boost growth to be a "developed, high-income country" by 2045.

"If we are to realise that, we need 8% this year and two-digit growth in the years to come," he said, adding that Viet Nam has shifted to a "multi-sector" and “globally integrated" economy, supported by both internal and external resources.

Daniel Noboa Azín, President of Ecuador

In a session titled Safeguarding Growth Engines, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa Azín joined other panellists to explore how rising protectionism, shifting demographics and the digital economy are reshaping global growth.

"40% of our population is between the ages of 14 and 35. How are we going to employ that mass of people? How are we going to educate them and understand their feelings?" Azín stated.

Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, Egypt

Speaking at the AMNC25 Opening Press Conference, Egyptian Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat discussed the need for increase the inclusion of women in the global economy, calling the World Economic Forum’s latest Global Gender Gap a "wake-up call".

"We need to be mindful that if there is more inclusion, our economies will be able to move forward faster," she said.

Valentino Valentini, Deputy Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Italy

Speaking during a session titled Trade: Trends and Endgame, Italian Deputy Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy Valentino Valentini called for collaboration and partnerships to be the foundation of the global economy.

"Dialogue is the only way forward," he said. "There are no winners in a trade war."

Hassan Elkhatib, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, Egypt

Speaking in the Trade: Trends and Endgame session, Egyptian Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Hassan Elkhatib stated that trading relationships must be nurtured.

"We need to make sure that we reach balanced trade agreements, but not through tariffs," he said. "It is through investments and trade."

See below for video of the full Trade: Trends and Endgames session: