5.What are your views on the government's added focus on Public-Private-Partnership projects? Has your company been party of any such projects before? If so, could you share with us some interesting anecdotes or case studies? Does your company plan to be a part of the future PPP projects in China?
Royal DSM works together with several universities and government agencies. Private-Public-Partnerships will enhance innovation as an economic growth driver for China. We clearly see the drive of the new Chinese leadership to address energy, pollution and climate change, which we welcome as it offers great collaboration opportunities.
6.What's your advice to China's young entrepreneurs? Is it wise to focus so much on online business as so many are doing? What are the most important factors should they watch out for in order to achieve success?
Online businesses offer great opportunities for entrepreneurs, but this is not the only area of opportunity. China will need further economic growth, and the world would welcome that as well. China is expected to continue to further develop the western part of the country. This will go together with strong urbanization. That in itself will put some pressure on food safety/security and energy/clean air/climate change. Therefore new innovative solutions are welcomed to address these challenges. This offers great opportunities both to young entrepreneurs as well as to DSM.
7.How will China move away from low-cost manufacturing to high-end manufacturing/innovation? What opportunities does the Belt and Road Initiative provide?
China is expected to not only rely on manufacturing in the future. Therefore China will develop and add new competences to its skill set, especially in the area of innovation. This will require another mindset, collaboration with universities and tech-centers in among others Private-Public-Partnerships (also abroad/internationally), as well as full respect of patent laws, etc. This is easier said than done, and will therefore require a clear roadmap, something China is good at in developing. The leadership is one of world's most clear governments in setting concrete targets and achieving them. Both DSM as a company and I as the CEO have a lot of respect about how the leadership is further developing the country and the economy.
