Dow eyes growth in multiple sectors
Dow, a United States-based materials science company, sees massive opportunities in China in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, data centers, new energy, mobility and circular economy solutions, and vows to continue expanding its investment as the country deepens its transition toward high-quality development.
Amid a complex global economic landscape, this steadfast commitment underscores the country's enduring appeal to foreign investors, driven by clear policy direction and rapid industrial upgrading, said a senior Dow official.
For Crystal Huang, president of Dow Greater China, the nation stands out for its policy clarity, industrial resilience and long-term commitment to innovation-driven growth. These factors, she noted, are providing global businesses with greater confidence to invest, innovate and grow alongside China's economic transformation.
"China combines scale, a highly integrated manufacturing ecosystem, world-class infrastructure, and increasingly sophisticated customer demand," Huang said. "This is critically important for materials science companies like Dow, which seek to carry out localized research and development, manufacturing and application-driven innovation."
China currently represents Dow's second-largest market globally and its largest outside the US. Despite global headwinds, Huang highlighted that the country's economic performance this year has demonstrated remarkable resilience, characterized not just by the pace of growth, but by an ongoing pivot toward higher-value development.
As China's innovation ecosystem becomes an increasingly vital engine of growth, frontier technologies are fundamentally reshaping industrial capabilities, she said.
"AI and other high-end technologies are becoming powerful catalysts for productivity growth and industrial upgrading in China," Huang said. "For multinational companies like Dow, this creates opportunities to accelerate collaborative innovation on next-generation solutions and achievement transformation with our Chinese customers."
To capitalize on these shifts, Dow is actively reinforcing its local footprint. Last year, the company launched its first global cooling science studio in Shanghai, designed to deliver sustainable cooling solutions for booming industries like AI, the internet of things, robotics and automation. By March 2026, Dow had already expanded this lab to support key industry trends including vehicle electrification, autonomous driving and smart technologies across the mobility value chain.
The company is simultaneously upgrading its manufacturing network to match the country's industrial ascent. Following the completion of a major silicone expansion in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu province, last year, Dow announced last month a fresh series of targeted investments to expand its global specialty silicones capabilities.
New liquid silicone rubber, or LSR, manufacturing expansions in Zhangjiagang are expected to begin operations in 2027, catering to high-performance applications in mobility and healthcare.
Amid significant shifts in international commerce and capital flows, China is fortifying its manufacturing and supply networks, said Li Xingqian, vice-chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.
Simultaneously, the nation is deepening its global integration by lowering market entry barriers, optimizing the corporate climate and implementing targeted policies to stabilize foreign investment, Li said.
"China's dual emphasis on expanding domestic demand and pursuing high-standard opening-up is strengthening its long-term economic resilience and cementing its role in global value chains," said Huang.
Looking ahead to the second half, Dow remains highly optimistic about sectors aligned with the country's development priorities. "We believe China's strengths — including its innovation ecosystem, manufacturing capabilities, talent pool and market scale — will continue to support high-quality development," Huang said.
zhengxin@chinadaily.com.cn
