Chinese companies in California saddle up for Year of the Horse

Representatives from Chinese enterprises operating in Northern California gathered on Sunday at Q Bay Center, a startup incubator in San Jose, to celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Horse, reflect on their collective achievements, and reaffirm their commitment to deeper China-US collaboration.

Zhang Jianmin, China's consul general in San Francisco, said at the event that the Spring Festival is the most important and ceremonial occasion for the Chinese people, a time to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new with reflection and hope.

Looking back on 2025, Zhang said China-US relations experienced a year marked by fluctuations but ultimately moving toward a balance.

Multiple meetings between the two heads of state, including the summit held in South Korea last October, helped stabilize the relationship, he added.

"Trade teams worked to implement shared consensus, holding five rounds of consultations. The key lesson remains clear: China and the United States must sit down, communicate and engage in dialogue on an equal footing."

Domestically, the past year was filled with significant and inspiring developments, Zhang said. "Early in the year, DeepSeek demonstrated China's capacity for independent innovation through its globally competitive achievements in artificial intelligence. Breakthroughs in areas such as the artificial sun and quantum technology further underscored the nation's growing strength in scientific research and innovation."

In the cultural sphere, Nezha 2 emerged as the highest-grossing animated film, earning $2.2 billion globally as of late 2025. The achievement, Zhang said, reflected both the vitality of China's creative industries and the growing confidence of its cultural expression.

The year also witnessed China's solemn commemoration of the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War (1931-45), highlighted by the Sept 3 military parade. "The event embodied the unity, resilience and shared determination of the Chinese people to safeguard peace while pursuing steady development," Zhang said.

On the economic front, Hainan province's customs closure and its progress toward high-level opening-up marked an important step in deepening reform. The successful conclusion of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), with GDP growth reaching approximately 5 percent, demonstrated China's resilience amid a complex international environment characterized by rising trade protectionism and unilateralism.

China continued to engage actively with the international community, Zhang said, noting that leaders from many countries visited China over the past year, recognizing it as a constructive force for peace and a reliable partner in global affairs.

Liu Qing, president of the Chinese Enterprises Association of Northern California, told member companies that the association's work in 2026 will focus on three key principles: service, connection and confidence.

Acknowledging that the increasingly complex China-US economic and trade environment presents new challenges, Liu said uncertainty also brings opportunity. "In an era where uncertainty has become the norm, we deeply understand that how far an enterprise can go depends not on the strength of one individual, but on the concerted efforts of a collective," he said.

Looking ahead to the Year of the Horse, Liu urged member companies to balance initiative with patience. "We must have the courage to venture forward, the patience to put down roots, respect the rules, integrate into the local community and move steadily toward our future," he said.

Member enterprises represented a broad range of sectors, including high technology, biosciences, banking and aviation, among others. Many began establishing their US operations shortly after China launched its reform and opening-up policy in 1978.

At Q Bay Center alone, around 160 Chinese enterprises are currently operating and expanding their businesses, said Zhang Dan, who oversees the center.

junechang@chinadailyusa.com