John Markmann, president of Grundfos China, said that China serves as both a vital testing ground and a launchpad for cutting-edge industrial innovations that can benefit markets worldwide.

Markmann, who is also vice-chair of the Danish Chamber of Commerce in China, North Board, said Grundfos, the Danish pump and water solutions provider, is proud to "ride this wave" by leveraging local AI talent and smart technologies to optimize its manufacturing processes in China.

Chinese manufacturers are also putting these advantages into practice. Jamie Erin Wood, head of investor relations at home-robotics and smart-appliance maker Dreame Technology, said that China's long-established industrial strengths are being amplified by AI-enabled production, robotics and a deeply integrated supply chain network.

Zhao Liang, partner at Unique Capital, said that China's rapid rollout of large-scale AI applications is gaining momentum, with the country, under certain metrics, now accounting for 61 percent of global daily token consumption.

Buoyed by the optimism widely shared by domestic and global businesses, Tianjin, the host city of the roundtable, is also strengthening its role in advanced manufacturing, innovation and intelligent industries, supported by its industrial base and growing AI ecosystem.

Schrempp of the European Union chamber said Tianjin's AI-related industries generated more than 300 billion yuan ($44.2 billion) in operating revenue, underscoring the city's growing weight in China's intelligent industrial transformation.

"For a traditional industrial city, that is remarkable," he said, adding that Tianjin has strong potential to become an emerging hub for intelligent industries.