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    When investment promotion targets are assigned to state-owned enterprise platforms, the first thing that appears is a task list: how many companies to engage, how many leads to generate, and how many projects to advance. Once the goals are broken down, the team quickly gets into the swing of things. But for decision-makers, assigning targets to departments is only the first step in deploying the task. Investment promotion by state-owned enterprise platforms involves far more than just project matching. It requires determining the right industrial direction, understanding corporate needs, coordinating capital instruments, and identifying who will take over once a project is implemented.
    Investment promotion conferences remain as bustling as ever. Figures on contract values, project counts, and project commencement rates were presented one after another. A review of investment promotion policies in the top 50 cities by GDP reveals a common trend. This year, only three cities—Zhengzhou, Nantong, and Quanzhou—have issued new policy documents specifically titled “Investment Promotion.” In addition, Shenzhen’s “Implementation Measures for Further Increasing the Attraction and Utilization of Foreign Investment” took effect this year. This article focuses on specialized investment promotion policies, innovative investment promotion plans, and the 15th Five-Year Plan outlines, incorporating all three types of documents into the analysis. A total of 63 policies were reviewed, while industrial directions were analyzed using the “15th Five-Year Plan” outlines of 50 cities.
    Recently, the 2026 China Dental Valley Industry Development Conference was held as scheduled in Ziyang. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of Dental Valley, and there is a significant development worth noting. The park—which has already become the nation’s largest hub for the dental equipment and materials industry—announced the launch of its “second phase of development.” Ten years ago, 80 percent of China’s high-end dental equipment and materials relied on imports. Today, 434 “Made in Ziyang” dental products are exported to more than 100 countries and regions worldwide.
    There’s a well-known adage in the investment promotion industry: good projects never wait. Projects can come knocking at any moment, but it takes a year or more to build a professional investment promotion team. This time lag has become a weak point for many counties’ investment promotion efforts. Qingyang County’s response was to stay one step ahead of the projects by first recruiting and training the right people. The “Running Ahead” Industrial Pioneer Training Camp, which recently concluded, was precisely this strategic first move. It featured 100 young officials, a 10-day intensive training program, and four rounds of selection, with county leaders evaluating the participants and entrepreneurs putting them through their paces.
    According to data from ChinaVenture, as of the end of 2025, district- and county-level funds accounted for 44% of the total number of government funds nationwide. However, due to financial constraints, the capital size of these funds represented only 11.3% of the total. Accounting for nearly half of the total number but only 10% of the total capital—this is the true picture of government funds at the county level. Some time ago, a document issued by the General Office of the State Council quietly caused a stir in investment circles. The “Guiding Opinions on Strengthening Supervision, Preventing Risks, and Promoting the High-Quality Development of Private Equity Funds,” commonly known as the General Office’s “Document No. 54.”
    A few days ago, the Ministry of Commerce, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the Ministry of Finance jointly issued the “Action Plan for Stabilizing, Promoting, and Optimizing Foreign Investment,” which consists of 15 measures across five areas. Today, draft amendments to the Government Procurement Law and the Bidding and Tendering Law were jointly submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress for initial review. This marks the first time these two laws, which have been in effect for more than 20 years, have been amended simultaneously. Earlier, on June 16, at a symposium chaired by Zheng Zhejie, Director of the National Development and Reform Commission, the issue of “regulating local investment promotion activities” was raised, and this was discussed in the context of deepening the development of a unified national market.
    Without EUV lithography machines, Huawei’s “Tao’s Law” is rewriting the rules of the chip industry. A few days ago, a “bombshell” was dropped on the global semiconductor industry. He Tingbo, a Huawei director and president of the company’s semiconductor business group, officially unveiled “Tao’s Law.” This was not just an ordinary technical presentation, but a complete rewriting of the rules. After this wave of market activity, how much does it actually have to do with attracting investment?
    Recently, the State Taxation Administration made a public statement. It emphasized that addressing the "invoice-driven economy" cannot be done through a simplistic "one-size-fits-all" approach. Without conducting actual verification, authorities should not simply suspend or restrict companies’ invoice issuance or reduce their invoice quotas. Local governments engaged in investment promotion now face a dilemma: they must strike a balance between two conflicting demands. They need to eliminate inflated figures without inadvertently harming compliant businesses; they must correct performance metrics without damaging the business environment. The true test lies in the wisdom of local governments to adopt “tailored approaches” in their investment promotion efforts.
    In early May, Suzhou is lush and green. Here in Suzhou, a Bay Area gathering spanning thousands of miles has taken place. “Writing a New Chapter for Suzhou · Converging for Mutual Success”—the Xinhui District 2026 (Yangtze River Delta) Industrial Investment Promotion Conference was successfully held. The Xinhui District Party Committee and District Government have established a platform here to foster cooperation and attract new opportunities. Here, industrial opportunities from the west bank of the Pearl River met with an enthusiastic response from Yangtze River Delta enterprises eager to seize opportunities in the Greater Bay Area. This was not merely a promotional event, but a mutual endeavor characterized by industrial complementarity, shared value, and mutual confidence.
    The artificial intelligence industry has entered a period of rapid growth. Attracting computing power investments has become a popular strategy for local governments to develop their digital economies. However, utilization rates remain below 30%, while operating costs continue to rise. In some regions, blind bandwagoning, subsidy one-upmanship, and the disguised construction of computing facilities have triggered a race to the bottom in computing power investment. Just last week, Xinhua News Agency specifically warned against this “race to the bottom in computing power investment,” directly pointing to the short-sightedness of local development strategies. The fact that the central government has personally stepped in to sound the alarm speaks volumes. It is time to hit the brakes on this computing power race.
    Zhang Xue’s motorcycle has gone viral nationwide. The phrase “not a single penny” has taken social media by storm. After being taken out of context and widely circulated, this statement quickly sent ripples through public opinion. However, a deeper issue has come to the surface. When the government supports businesses, does “giving money” really have to be the only way? This question touches on the core of a paradigm shift in the concept of attracting investment. Now is the time to redefine what it means for the government to support businesses. The best support is letting go; the best environment is fairness; and the best competition is determined by the market.
    There’s a common phenomenon within business development teams. Newcomers, after working for a while, often struggle to identify what companies are looking for. While veteran team members have plenty of experience, their approaches were developed through trial and error in the past. Business development managers understand that with targets being pushed down year after year, relying solely on a few key veterans isn’t sustainable. They want to systematically develop their teams but can’t find a practical training program. So, what is the best way to effectively improve professional capabilities in business development?
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