In this new era of global navigation, where shifting globalization trends intertwine with local regulatory frameworks, Chinese enterprises' overseas expansion has evolved from debating "whether to go global" to addressing "how to win sustainably." Compliance is no longer merely a cost burden, but a cornerstone of trust-building; localization transcends operational execution to represent genuine symbiotic coexistence. This forum, co-hosted by the MBA Center of Peking University's National School of Development and the Beijing Intellectual Property Protection Association, convenes senior professionals from technology, healthcare, and legal sectors to explore pathways for Chinese enterprises to achieve breakthrough growth in international markets. Join us in examining strategies for sustainable global expansion and enduring success.

The Evolving Paradigm: From "Policy-Driven" to "Survival-Imperative"

Yu Xiaozhe, MBA alumna of Peking University's National School of Development, systematically delineated the evolutionary trajectory of Chinese enterprises' globalization in her keynote address. She identified three distinct phases: the initial "policy mandate" stage, the subsequent "trade-first" phase, and the current era demanding systematic localization and deep market cultivation. Drawing on her extensive experience at multinational corporations including LinkedIn and Tencent, Yu established three foundational pillars for successful globalization: talent strategy, regulatory compliance, and business operations—interdependent dimensions that collectively form the bedrock of international expansion.

Compliance as Strategic Infrastructure: Balancing Acts in Initial Expansion

Liang Min, General Counsel of a Hong Kong-listed company, provided an in-depth analysis of compliance challenges and strategic trade-offs facing enterprises during initial international expansion. She identified six critical compliance challenges: market access, cross-border employment and cultural adaptation, environmental and ESG compliance, intellectual property protection, export controls and security reviews, and data governance. Liang emphasized that various jurisdictions impose strict requirements regarding data localization and cross-border transfers. Chinese enterprises must develop a comprehensive global data compliance framework and implement tiered, categorized management strategies.

Roundtable Discussion: Practitioner Insights

Yu Xiaozhe and Liang Min were joined by Ge Mengying, Legal Manager at an embodied intelligence company, and Li Menghui, Senior Business Development Manager for Southeast Asia at a biomedical enterprise (MBA alumnus of Peking University's National School of Development), engaged in in-depth discussions on practical challenges in international markets.

Regarding "most regrettable failure cases," panelists shared real-world lessons, including trademark preemption, product recalls due to inadequate data compliance, and substantial losses stemming from unfamiliarity with local market access requirements. On team building, panelists noted that enterprises should tailor strategies to their scale and developmental stage. Small and medium-sized enterprises may leverage outsourcing during initial phases, while larger enterprises should prioritize building in-house capabilities in legal and regulatory affairs to develop integrated team competencies. Regarding the nature of compliance investment, panelists unanimously agreed that compliance represents not merely a cost, but a core competitive advantage and strategic barrier to entry.

The Long Game: Globalization as Marathon

"Going global is a marathon, not a sprint." This metaphor underscores that enterprises must engage in long-term strategic planning and sustain continuous investment, while shifting from a China-centric mindset to a global perspective, from product-centricity to customer-centricity, and from short-term gains to long-term value creation. Amid today's profound shifts in the global economic landscape, Chinese enterprises' international expansion represents no longer mere market extension, but the systematic development of comprehensive globalization capabilities.