Beijing (People's Daily) - The 4th China Brand Forum was held in Beijing on Wednesday, where over 300 business leaders, scholars and experts gathered to review the development of Chinese brands over the past 40 years of reform and opening up and exchange experiences on brand building. 

Gu Shengzu, vice chairperson of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Li Baoshan, president of the People's Daily, attended and spoke at the opening ceremony of the forum. Tuo Zhen, editor-in-chief of the People's Daily, presided over the opening ceremony.

Gu Shengzu, vice chairperson of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, speaks at the opening ceremony. (Photos: People's Daily app)

Li Baoshan, president of the People's Daily, speaks at the opening ceremony.

Tuo Zhen, editor-in-chief of the People's Daily, presides over the opening ceremony.

China’s economy has been transitioning from a phase of rapid growth to a stage of high-quality development, which poses higher demand for brand building for Chinese enterprises.

In this regard, President Li Baoshan shared his thoughts and advice at the event on how to build stronger brands and promote economic development of higher quality.

Li remarked that China's brand building is still not able to meet the needs for improving the performance and upgrading China's economy, the ever-growing needs of the people for a better life, and the needs for improving competitiveness in the international market.

Given the trend of consumption upgrading and the increasingly severe market competition, realizing the transformation from "made in China" to "created in China", from "China speed" to "China quality", and from Chinese products to Chinese brands is an unavoidable challenge that China must overcome, Li stressed.

He said that China must be firm on its stance on "strengthening the country through brand building” to promote higher quality development of the economy. In addition, China must enhance political awareness and deepen its understanding of brand building, and nurture an atmosphere where the creation, development, and protection of brands are highly valued.

Li stressed that Chinese firms must be aware that brands revitalize enterprises. Brands are the basis for the survival and development of enterprises, therefore it is necessary for enterprises to establish brands by quality, to promote brands by technology, and to protect brands by craftsmanship.

Enterprises must establish brand awareness in every employee, in every production procedure, and in every value chain, to respond with concrete actions to people’s aspiration for stronger domestic brands. By doing so, more big names and big time enterprises will be built.

Li added that enterprises should also shoulder the responsibility for building their brands for the people, as brand building is the core to meet the demand of domestic consumers, the fundamental path to improving people’s livelihoods, and the inevitable choice to create a better life.

He noted that People’s Daily will further communicate and cooperate with all sectors of society, as well as give full play to its advantages in the media, channel, coverage and convergence communication, in order to support, serve and promote Chinese brands. It will help build more globally competitive and renowned Chinese brands.

(Compiled by Zhang Jian & Sun Wenyu)