2026 China Brand Forum Held in Xiong’an, Focuses on Innovation-Driven Growth
XIONG’AN, China — The 2026 China Brand Forum convened on June 17 in Xiong’an New Area, Hebei Province, bringing together senior government officials, business leaders, and industry experts to chart the future of Chinese brand development under the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030). National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee Vice Chairman Losang Gyaltsen attended and delivered a keynote address, underscoring high-level political support for the forum’s objectives.
Context: A Decade of Brand Building
Now in its 12th consecutive edition, the China Brand Forum is hosted annually by People’s Daily and was established following President Xi Jinping’s directive to transform “Made in China” into “Created in China,” “Chinese speed” into “Chinese quality,” and “Chinese products” into “Chinese brands.” The forum has grown into a premier platform for dialogue between policymakers, corporate leaders, and academics on brand strategy.
This year’s forum was held in Xiong’an for the second consecutive year — a significant signal. Xiong’an New Area, established in April 2017 as a state-level development zone roughly 100 kilometers southwest of Beijing, is envisioned as a “future city” and a model for high-quality development. President Xi visited Xiong’an in March 2026, emphasizing its role as an “innovation highland.”
Key Developments at the Forum
Themed “‘15th Five-Year Plan’ | Brand Leadership, Moving Forward with Innovation” (“‘十五五’ | 品牌引领 向新而行”), the forum featured a main plenary session and two parallel sub-forums: a “Financial High-Quality Development Report Meeting” and a “Promoting High-Quality Education Development Theme Seminar.” Organizers also arranged a themed interview activity titled “Xiong’an New Area ‘15th Five-Year Plan’ Start High-Quality Development.”
According to the People’s Daily report, attendees included representatives from central and state organs, local government officials, enterprise leaders, and scholars. The consensus among participants, as paraphrased in the official report, was that “brands are an important carrier of enterprise core competitiveness, and also a comprehensive reflection of national economic strength, innovation capability, and cultural influence.”
Participants emphasized that strengthening brand building is “an inherent requirement for developing new quality productive forces and advancing Chinese-style modernization.” They called for adhering to innovation-driven development, focusing on the real economy, and comprehensively promoting industrial upgrading and transformation.
Historical Context: A Decade of Brand-Building Dialogue
The China Brand Forum has evolved significantly since its inaugural edition in July 2015 at People’s Daily headquarters in Beijing. Previous editions have addressed themes ranging from “Promoting High-Quality Development of Chinese Brands” (2020) to “Developing New Quality Productive Forces, Promoting Brand Powerhouse Construction” (2024). The 11th edition in October 2025 marked the forum’s first move to Xiong’an, with the theme “Moving Forward with Innovation | New Brands, New Scenarios, New Practices, New Heights.”
Coverage of the 2025 edition by Xinhua News Agency noted that participants emphasized brand building as “an inherent requirement for developing new quality productive forces and promoting high-quality development.” The continuity in messaging between the 2025 and 2026 editions reflects a sustained national focus on brand development as a strategic priority.
Analysis: Strategic Alignment with National Priorities
The forum’s theme directly aligns with China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, which prioritizes high-quality development, innovation-driven growth, and brand building as strategic pillars. Brand development is increasingly positioned as a core component of cultivating “new quality productive forces” (新质生产力) — a key policy concept emphasizing technology, high-end manufacturing, and innovation.
As noted by Baidu Baike, the forum is supported by major state bodies including the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC), reflecting its importance within China’s economic governance framework.
Holding the forum in Xiong’an for a second straight year suggests the area is being positioned as a permanent or semi-permanent venue for major national business events. This reinforces Xiong’an’s evolving identity as a showcase for China’s innovation-driven development model. The “future city,” which President Xi visited in March 2026, is designed to relieve Beijing of non-capital functions while serving as a testing ground for cutting-edge urban development and economic transformation.
Implications for Chinese Enterprises
The consistent emphasis on brand building carries concrete implications for Chinese companies operating both domestically and internationally. Enterprises are being encouraged to prioritize brand equity as a competitive differentiator, invest in research and development, and align their corporate strategies with national goals for industrial upgrading.
The focus on “new quality productive forces” suggests that technology companies, advanced manufacturers, and innovation-driven enterprises will likely receive favorable policy support. At the same time, traditional industries are being urged to transform through digitalization and brand modernization.
What’s Next
As Chinese enterprises face increasing competition in global markets, the emphasis on brand development is expected to intensify. The 15th Five-Year Plan period will likely see expanded government support for brand-building initiatives, particularly in technology, manufacturing, and consumer goods sectors. Future editions of the China Brand Forum will be closely watched for specific policy signals and corporate case studies that illustrate how Chinese brands are adapting to both domestic priorities and international market dynamics.
The forum’s continued presence in Xiong’an also signals that the new area’s role as a national innovation hub will deepen, potentially attracting more business events, investment, and talent to the region. For observers of China’s economic trajectory, the China Brand Forum offers a valuable annual barometer of how the world’s second-largest economy is redefining its commercial identity on the global stage.