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On Tuesday, 29 September, Danish-Chinese Business Forum and Bestyrelsesforeningen (Board Leadership Society in Denmark) brought together board members, senior executives and experts for our annual event which this year had the title: “China in the Board Room: Danish Responses to China’s 15th Five-Year Plan”.
The discussion focused on what China’s priorities for 2026–2030 as outlined in the 15th five-year plan and what the plan could mean for Danish and European companies, including the implications for competition, technology leadership, market access and supply chains.
For Danish companies, the question is especially pressing. Several of Denmark’s strongest business sectors overlap with areas prioritised by Chinese policymakers and companies. The competitive effects are already visible in wind energy and are increasingly emerging in life sciences and the maritime supply chain.
The discussion also challenged a familiar management model: the idea that China should largely “run out of China”.
China-related developments are no longer confined to the Chinese market. They affect global competitive positioning, technology choices, sourcing, investment decisions and corporate innovation strategy. Responsibility for understanding and responding to these developments must therefore reach beyond local management.
Danish headquarters and boards need to take ownership of the China agenda and stay informed beyond the subsidiary’s operations.
Thank you to Markus Herrmann, Henrik Andersen, Michala Fischer-Hansen, Peter Trampe for excellent presentations and to Bente Overgaard for another thoughtful and forward-looking moderation.
See you next year!
