China is no longer just a super-sized market — it is rapidly transforming into a dynamic innovation hub where global companies come not only to sell, but to create and collaborate, a senior business executive told China Daily.
With its economy projected to expand between 4.5 percent and 5 percent this year, China remains a "massive growth engine" for the world, especially against a backdrop of persistently soft global demand, said Roland Janssen, chief executive officer at Borouge Pte Ltd, now part of the newly established Borouge International — a global petrochemical company with its global headquarters in Vienna, Austria, major operational hubs in Europe, the Middle East and North America, and innovation centers in six countries around the world, including China.
"We are deeply committed to the Chinese market, and I am making sure that our solutions can play a role in the energy, infrastructure, mobility and packaging industries," Janssen said.
In the new energy vehicle sector, where China now leads the way, lightweight and sustainable solutions are increasingly sought after — a trend that, according to Janssen, presents significant opportunities for Borouge International.
"We see growing demand for lightweight plastics, alongside an increasing focus on sustainability, including the use of recycled materials in automotive applications," Janssen said.
To support this trend, Borouge International is collaborating with ROX Motor, a Chinese hybrid carmaker, with its polyolefin solutions applied in 17 components of the Adamas SUV. The two companies have also established a joint innovation laboratory in Shanghai to advance next-generation materials.
"China's electric vehicle market is a global engine for the world. That makes it very attractive for us to be here with our partners and customers, helping them in their development while also learning from it ourselves," Janssen added.
Beyond mobility, Borouge International is also strengthening its presence in China's energy and infrastructure sectors, which continue to benefit from large-scale investment and the country's energy transition.
"In the past year, we have supported the development of China's wind power sector, particularly as the industry advances toward deep offshore applications," Janssen said.
The company is supporting applications ranging from advanced pipeline systems for urban networks to materials used in offshore wind and electrification projects, helping improve durability, efficiency and sustainability across critical infrastructure in China.
Janssen noted that the speed of innovation in China is remarkable."Markets evolve more quickly here than anywhere else in the world, creating opportunities to be part of that momentum while also offering valuable learning experiences," he said.
China's fast-growing innovation capacity has gained international recognition. For the first time, the World Intellectual Property Organization ranked the country among the global top 10 in its Global Innovation Index 2025.
The formation of Borouge International in late March — through the combination of Borouge, Borealis and Nova Chemicals — marks a significant step in the company's global strategy. The new entity brings together global scale, advanced technologies and deep application expertise, along with a broad international footprint and enhanced innovation capabilities.
With integrated production assets, a global innovation network and expanded capacity, Borouge International is well positioned to deliver reliable, high-performance material solutions across key sectors, including energy, infrastructure and mobility, while strengthening supply chain resilience and customer collaboration worldwide.
"The idea is to bring the global portfolio to China, work with our industry partners and address the needs of the Chinese market," Janssen said. "At the same time, the reverse is equally important: we learn from the Chinese market, bring those developments back into our organization, and expand into other regions with the technologies and ideas we gain here."
Contact the writers at wangkeju@chinadaily.com.cn
