Geopolitical unrest, climate change challenges, and advances in digital technology have reshaped the global supply chain in recent years. Amid intelligent and globalized development, China’s supply chain is shifting from a traditional model driven by cost and speed to a new path focused on green, low-carbon, intelligent, efficient, and internationally collaborative practices. This transition is not only about proactive adaptation to changes in the international environment but also a strategic choice for building new quality productive forces and enhancing global competitiveness.

In this context, as an important platform for global supply chain cooperation, the China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) has become a significant window for observing the trends of China’s supply chain transformation. Recently, the third CISCE, themed “Connecting the World for a Shared Future,” opened in Beijing. It is evident that China is continuously promoting international cooperation in industrial and supply chains, collaborating with other countries to build a prosperous future.

Green connection

Green development was one of the keywords of the Expo, demonstrating China’s practical exploration and strategic commitment to promoting green supply chains.

Against the backdrop of an accelerated global energy transition and the restructuring of industrial chains, China is steering the global clean energy supply chain with its comprehensive industrial system, innovative breakthroughs, and an open cooperative approach. Green and low-carbon initiatives were a major highlight of the Expo.

In the field of green supply chain collaboration, numerous leading companies featured their technological successes in green transformation. Notably, Schneider Electric showcased its comprehensive innovative practices across key sectors, from its operations to green supply chain collaboration and ecological empowerment, offering a valuable reference for the sustainable development of the global industrial chain.

Its multiple green innovations have attracted wide attention. For example, its EcoMAP Digital Platform, a green design innovation platform, is data-driven and supports green product design and carbon footprint analysis, providing scientifically efficient design tools for the transformation of the industrial chain.

“The supply and industrial chains can no longer rely solely on efficiency; the integration of resilience, high efficiency, and sustainability is crucial for overcoming current challenges in the industrial chain,” said Yin Zheng, executive vice president of Schneider Electric’s China & East Asia Operations.

The company has achieved significant results in ecological innovation practices. It leverages technological advantages and industry experience to effectively guide upstream and downstream partners in digital transformation and collaboratively promote carbon reduction. Schneider’s Zero Carbon Project is assisting the top 1,000 global suppliers in achieving a 50 percent reduction in carbon emissions by the end of this year. As for the first quarter of 2025, global suppliers benefiting from this project averaged a 42 percent reduction in carbon emissions, demonstrating the systematic effectiveness and strong driving capability of green transformation.

The 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) is a critical stage for China to address climate change and achieve its carbon peak targets. It is also a strategic opportunity for its industries to undergo a green and low-carbon transformation. In recent years, efforts at the national level have been continuously strengthened to provide policy guidance and institutional safeguards. The “dual carbon” strategy (carbon peaking by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060) has established a solid policy foundation for the development of green supply chains. Various central departments have successively issued relevant policy documents to promote the establishment of a green manufacturing system and encourage key industries to create green procurement mechanisms and carbon footprint tracing systems.

The 14th Five-Year Plan for Green Industrial Development, issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, clearly states the need to strengthen strategic emerging industries related to environmental protection. It aims to build a new engine for industrial development that features low energy and resource consumption, minimal environmental pollution, high added value, and strong market demand, while accelerating the growth of strategic emerging industries including new energy, new materials, new-energy vehicles, green smart ships, environmental protection, high-end equipment, and energy electronics. The strong policy support has led to vigorous development of strategic emerging industries.

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CATL) is promoting the disclosure of carbon footprints by upstream lithium battery raw material producers. BYD has formulated a “zero carbon supply chain” roadmap, incorporating carbon neutrality requirements into the admission criteria for suppliers, while Haier has built a green design platform that covers multiple stages including design, manufacturing, and recycling, striving to reduce the environmental impact of products from the source. These practices not only demonstrate a strong awareness of corporate social responsibility but also showcase that the green supply chain is becoming the core philosophy of global competitiveness for enterprises.

It is foreseeable that green transparency, environmental management, and sustainable collaborative capabilities are transforming from compliance requirements to key indicators of competitiveness for enterprises. Those who can quickly establish a low-carbon, transparent, and resilient green supply chain will likely be able to seize the initiative and gain an advantage in the new round of global supply chain restructuring.

Connecting technology

In the CISCE’s Guangdong exhibition area, the power of technology was evident everywhere. The Walker C humanoid robot from UBTECH, just returned from the World Expo Osaka 2025 in Japan, deftly performs various interactive tasks on site, like an experienced concierge greeting the audience. The Dexterous Hand from Zhaowei Machinery & Electronics showcased the ultimate pursuit of precision in industrial manufacturing with micron-level control. Meanwhile, EHang’s low-altitude drones displayed the stringent safety standards needed for aerial traffic, showing a new blueprint for the future of urban transportation. These impressive products all reflect the significant role of technology in the production chain.

Nowhere is emerging industrial development more evident than the cutting-edge technology driving the low-altitude economy. The Expo featured multiple flying car companies. As a national priority, the low-altitude economy is entering a period of rapid development. According to forecasts from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the market size of China’s low-altitude economy is expected to rise to RMB 3.5 trillion by 2035, becoming a vital engine for the high-quality development of future cities.

EHang has made initial progress in the overall solutions in the low-altitude economy by leveraging its advantages in aircraft manufacturing and system integration. From manned transport to logistics, and public safety to emergency rescue, EHang is driving the industry’s growth through a systematic approach.

According to He Tianxing, vice president of EHang, with the increasing scarcity of urban spatial resources and the exacerbation of traffic congestion, traditional ground transportation methods are encountering increasing bottlenecks. In contrast, the low-altitude economy, with its flexible, efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly characteristics, has become an important component of the new urban transportation system. Low-altitude transportation is no longer just an imaginative scenario from science fiction; it is steadily advancing towards reality.

Currently, EHang’s self-developed manned flying vehicles have successfully completed regular test flights in various locations and have shown promising application potential in fields such as urban sightseeing, medical aid, and emergency dispatch. In light of the growing urban population and increasingly complex urban operational systems, EHang is dedicated to establishing a low-altitude ecosystem that integrates technology, services, and regulations, laying a solid foundation for transforming urban air mobility from dream to reality.

Supply chain intelligence, another crucial aspect for enhancing urban operational efficiency, is also emerging as a new platform for the deep integration of digital technologies.

In recent years, leading retail enterprises have been actively laying out smart supply chains, accelerating the construction of a data-driven digital foundation, and promoting a comprehensive upgrade in the efficiency of commodity circulation. The integration of digital technologies and intelligent systems is profoundly reshaping the circulation of goods from production to consumption, enhancing the precision and flexibility of urban operations, and contributing to the creation of an efficient and responsive modern distribution system.

Retail giants, represented by Walmart China, are continuously optimizing their smart supply chains by using cutting-edge technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things. This method has achieved a full-chain intelligent upgrade in product procurement, inventory management, logistics distribution, and store operations, allowing enterprises to improve operational efficiency and enhance customer experience. According to Qiu Tao, senior vice president of supply chain and technology integration at Walmart China, digitization is not merely a technological upgrade but a key engine for promoting collaborative omnichannel operations and enhancing customer satisfaction.

From technological innovation in manufacturing, to the ecological development of the low-altitude economy and digital transformation of circulation systems, a modern industrial chain driven by intelligence is rapidly taking shape. The Expo showcased not only the advancement of technology but also the manifestation of new quality productive forces in real-world scenarios, marking a significant transformation in the operation of future cities that is quietly unfolding.

Connecting the world

In the context of profound changes in the global landscape and the accelerated restructuring of industrial chains, China continues to embrace global resources with a more open and inclusive attitude. Through high-level platforms such as the CISCE, connections are made with the international community, promoting in-depth integration and collaborative development among multinational enterprises, regional industries, and technological resources.

Airbus, participating in the Expo for the first time, collaborated with eight upstream and downstream supply chain exhibitors, highlighting the significant importance placed by leading international companies on and their deep involvement in the Chinese market. “Through this collaborative exhibition with our suppliers, Airbus aims to demonstrate that as a member of the Chinese aviation industry ecosystem, we are growing together with our suppliers to establish a strong partnership,” said Erik Buschmann, global senior vice president of Airbus and chief operating officer of Airbus in China.

This innovative exhibition not only conveys Airbus’s strategic confidence in the Chinese market but also reflects the upgrading and evolution of collaboration models among enterprises. Through joint exhibitions, various forces collaborate along the value chain, providing a new paradigm for international companies to develop localization strategies in China.

According to Xu Shan, regional head of foreign economic affairs at the German Federal Association for Economic Development and Foreign Trade, there are many opportunities for cooperation between China and Germany in economic, technological, and cultural aspects. European enterprises are particularly focused on cooperation opportunities in clean energy and the health industry. “In the future, Sino-German cooperation should not only focus on large enterprises, but also emphasize the connection between small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). German SMEs often possess highly competitive specialized technologies, whereas China has the industrial ecosystem to put these technologies into use at a large scale. Through such industrial links, both sides can form deeper and more efficient cooperation pathways,” she said.

Supply chain collaboration is no longer a one-way technological input or production capacity output, but rather an ecosystem constructed through multi-level and multi-entity participation. Particularly in strategic emerging industries such as new energy and biomedicine, the flexible innovation capabilities of SMEs and the advantages of local market incubation are forming a new pattern of complementary and mutually beneficial outcomes.

“This is my first time attending the CISCE. I hope that through this exhibition, we can align Romania’s needs with China’s industries and engage in the development of the global supply chain in a cooperative and mutually beneficial manner,” said Liu Junjie, president of the Canton Chamber of Commerce in Romania. “In the context of global economic instability, I have witnessed many countries and enterprises participating in the Expo, showing a high level of importance for the CISCE,” said Tetsuro Homma, executive vice president of Panasonic.

The Expo provides a platform for companies to communicate with and learn from government institutions and upstream and downstream enterprises in the supply chain, facilitating business development through the integration of innovative resources along the industrial chain. “China offers immense market opportunities for foreign-invested enterprises, which are vital participants in China’s modernization drive. The Chinese market has forged a win-win relationship with foreign investment,” he said.

This year’s CISCE attracted over 650 enterprises and institutions, involving 75 countries, regions, and international organizations. More than 6,000 cooperation agreements and intentions were signed on-site. This facilitated connections between upstream and downstream businesses in the industrial chain and promoted integration among large, medium-sized, and small enterprises, providing an open platform for global economic and trade cooperation.