China Council for the Promotion of International Trade: By 2025, the global trade friction index remained high in all 12 months, with electronics, machinery, and equipment industries being the main sectors triggering trade frictions.

Our reporter: Zhang Huaishui | Our editor: Wei Weny i

On March 31, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade held its regular press conference for March and responded to hot topics such as the Global Economic and Trade Friction Index and the Fourth China International Supply Chain Promotion Expo (hereinafter referred to as the “CISPE” or “Chain Expo”).

Wang Guannan, spokesperson of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, said that in 2025, the Global Economic and Trade Friction Index remained at a high level in all 12 months, and the global economic and trade friction situation has become increasingly severe. Based on the high-level operation of the U.S. economic and trade friction index in 2024, the U.S. further escalated it in 2025, with the index’s monthly average increasing year on year by 16 points.

Photo source: Our reporter Zhang Huaishui

At the press conference, a reporter from the Daily Economic News learned that at the Fourth Chain Expo, scheduled for June 2026, the Digital Technology Chain will set up an Artificial Intelligence zone for the first time. In addition, in recent days, multiple multinational companies have announced a substantial increase in investment in China.

Global economic and trade friction measures in January this year involve less amount

Wang Guannan said that since April 2025, the Global Economic and Trade Friction Index has been severely “stirred up” by the United States’ retaliatory tariff measures, causing serious negative impacts on steady global economic development. In January 2026, the Global Economic and Trade Friction Index was 100; the amount of global economic and trade friction measures involved fell 7.3% year on year and decreased 4% month on month.

Looking at the country/region index, among the 20 countries (regions) within the monitoring scope, in 2025, the months in which the economic and trade friction index was at a high level for the United States, India, the European Union, Brazil, and Japan ranked in the top five by number. In particular, for the United States, the amount involved in its economic and trade friction measures is the largest; throughout the year, it topped the ranking in 11 months, and the average amount involved in its economic and trade friction measures was about four times that of the second-highest. In January 2026, the United States’ economic and trade friction index continued to remain at the top spot, while India and Russia ranked second and third, respectively.

Looking at the industry index, in 2025, industries such as electronics, machinery and equipment, and transportation equipment were the main areas that triggered economic and trade friction. In January 2026, the electronics industry’s economic and trade friction index continued to lead. Relevant enterprises in the industries mentioned above should establish normalized early-warning and response mechanisms.

Wang Guannan further said that in terms of sub-item indices, in 2025, among the five categories of measures monitored, the number of other restrictive measures, technical trade measures, and import and export tariff measures ranked in the top three. In January 2026, within the monitoring scope, 20 countries (regions) issued 23 import and export tariff measures in total, initiated 19 trade remedy investigations, submitted 141 technical barriers to trade (TBT) notifications and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) notifications to the WTO (World Trade Organization), issued 15 import and export restriction measures, and issued 178 other restrictive measures. Among them, the index for import and export tariff measures ranked first.

The Fourth Chain Expo will **** set up an Artificial Intelligence zone for the first time

Wang Guannan said that artificial intelligence is an important driving force behind the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, and it can also become an international public good that benefits humanity. At the upcoming Fourth Chain Expo to be held in June, artificial intelligence will undoubtedly become one of the biggest innovation highlights.

“First, we will set up an Artificial Intelligence zone for the first time in the Digital Technology Chain.” Wang Guannan introduced that currently, leading companies in artificial intelligence around the world are actively signing up to participate. At the Chain Expo, everyone will get a full view of the end-to-end ecosystem of global artificial intelligence—from data, to computing power, to applications—as well as the “debate on the Hua Mountain” between Chinese and overseas artificial intelligence companies.

Taking, for example, the Chain Expo industry matching activities successfully held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang in recent times: the event focused on artificial intelligence industries centered on robots, attracting more than 150 Chinese and overseas enterprises such as Qualcomm, NVIDIA, Unitree Technology, Galaxy General, Moonshot AI, iFlytek, and others, covering all segments across the upstream, midstream, and downstream of the industrial chain. Thirty-four Zhejiang companies signed contracts on site to participate in the Fourth Chain Expo, with the proportion of artificial intelligence-related companies accounting for nearly 80%.

Second, for the first time at this Chain Expo’s flagship report, the “Global Supply Chain Promotion Report 2026,” there will be a dedicated chapter on “Global Supply Chain of Artificial Intelligence,” providing a panoramic view of the global supply chain map of artificial intelligence, and systematically analyzing countries’ comparative advantages and the layouts of major enterprises, to offer authoritative references for better application of artificial intelligence as an international public good. At the same time, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade will create the “Industry Frontiers Grand Lecture Hall,” continuously focusing on emerging industries and future industries to carry out thematic coaching, laying an ability foundation for the planning of the Chain Expo and related industry services.

In addition, this Chain Expo will make artificial intelligence a key topic for theme exchange activities, inviting top leaders from Chinese and overseas enterprises, authoritative experts, and others to discuss the development prospects of artificial intelligence together, to promote healthy and orderly development of artificial intelligence. At the same time, artificial intelligence will be set as a priority area for new product launches, with multiple “cutting-edge” technologies, new products, and first releases exhibited for the first time in the field of Chinese and overseas artificial intelligence.

Multiple multinational companies **** recently announced a substantial increase in investment in China

“Recently, multiple multinational companies have announced a substantial increase in their investment in China.” Wang Guannan introduced that whether it is developed countries and regions such as the European Union, the UK, and Canada, or countries in the Global South; whether it is Fortune Global 500 multinational companies, or global start-ups and SMEs, there is a general positive outlook on new opportunities for China’s economic development during the “14th Five-Year Plan” (2025–2029) period. China’s role as a clear engine of the global economy and a stable anchor is becoming increasingly prominent.

According to the “2025–2026 China-Canada Business Survey Report” released by the Canada-China Business Council, among Canadian companies in China, 61% are profitable or break even, 54% list China as one of their top five priority markets globally, and 68% plan to expand their business in China over the next five years.

Wang Guannan said that since this year began, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade has organized multiple batches of delegations of Chinese entrepreneurs to visit countries including Turkey, Morocco, the UK, Kenya, and South Africa, actively promoting China’s grand blueprint for development during the “15th Five-Year Plan” period and policy measures to expand high-level opening-up. Wherever the delegations went, they received widespread attention and a warm welcome from political and business circles in the host countries.

Wang Guannan introduced that during a visit to the UK, King Charles III held exchanges with the delegation twice. More than 200 China-UK companies attended the China-UK (Scotland) enterprise exchange and matchmaking events, the “Sustainable Market Initiative” 2026 Earth Charter roundtable meeting and the China exhibition special event, and the exchange meeting between the “Sustainable Market Initiative” China Council and the Global Council CEOs, among other activities. The president of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Ren Hongbin, met respectively with Scotland’s Minister for Business and Employment, Lochhead; the CEO of the “Sustainable Market Initiative” Global Council, Zefi; the chairman of Fordesce River Group, Forrester; the chairman of Prudential Group, Van De Na; and others, and also conducted research on relevant enterprises.

During visits to Kenya, South Africa, and Seychelles by Vice President Han Zheng, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade successively held events in places such as Nairobi and Cape Town, including the Kenya Enjoys Zero-Tariff Export Exhibition of Goods to China and the China-Kenya Business Forum, as well as the China-South Africa economic and trade cooperation forum, with hundreds of Chinese and overseas enterprises participating in the above activities. The Chinese side’s high praise from political and business circles in various countries followed the comprehensive implementation, starting May 1, 2026, of zero-tariff measures for 53 African countries that have diplomatic ties with China.

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Cover photo source: Our reporter Zhang Huaishui