In an era where trends rise and fall with unprecedented speed, the global order is continually reshaped by ongoing development, with artificial intelligence playing a role alongside other forces. This dynamic interplay shapes the trajectory of the future while subtly and tangibly influencing our everyday lives.
On December 18, 2025, the ANBOUND Annual Conference 2026 was held in Chengdu. At a time when uncertainty has become the norm, ANBOUND's founder Mr. Kung Chan, along with the research team and distinguished invited members and guests, conducted in-depth analysis and roundtable discussions centered on strategic policy research in this regard. Major issues shaping the future, including China's economy, reverse urbanization, the AI tsunami, the competition for rare earth, energy security, and the revitalization of Northeast China are among the topics discussed.
Concerning China's economic growth, the relationship between China's economy and the global economy, and the U.S.-China relations, Mr. Kung Chan responded during the Forum on Current Policy Issues held in November that de-globalization is currently fragmenting the world market, leading to global economic sluggishness and contraction in production. In this context, prudent control of production capacity and the avoidance of debt expansion are critical. The real competition ahead lies in the ability to make precise decisions in complex environments.
Specifically with regard to China, Mr. Kung Chan noted that the risks of contradictions and internal frictions caused by overlapping policies have already received close attention from the country's central authorities. Therefore, it is essential for China to substantially enhance the consistency between policy formulation and implementation to ensure synergy. On U.S.-China relations, he maintained his characteristic strategic clarity, emphasizing that competition among major powers will determine the future of the world. Although China is regarded as a strategic competitor on par with the United States, it still requires time to further consolidate and enhance its strengths in resources, trade, and internal development.
In the main theme session, ANBOUND's Research Fellow Dr. Yang Xite pointed out that China's reverse-urbanization under economic transformation is not a lifestyle choice, but something that is imposed by the circumstances. At the same time, returning to one's hometown is not a retreat, but a new entry point into the second half of China's urbanization process.
ANBOUND's Economic Research Fellow Chen Li spoke about the already-arrived AI wave, noting that while the AI bubble is controversial, it nonetheless represents a survival-level arms race for both enterprises and nations. She also presented the concept of AI Tax, ANBOUND's institutional solution to the AI shock. Facing the increasingly intense international competition for rare earths, Zhou Chao, Research Fellow for the Geopolitical Strategy Programme at ANBOUND, argued that global rare earths have entered a new cycle of "supply expansion + geopolitical decoupling", with structural oversupply forcing the industry to break through ahead of time.
This annual conference brought together hundreds of ANBOUND members from business leaders, heads of local governments, and policymakers, both online and offline. In the new year, ANBOUND will continue to deliver high-impact thematic events to discuss critical issues, with deep expertise to provide forward-looking insight and policy guidance to help audiences understand the top policy issues in China and the world.
