BEIJING, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- China's economy has demonstrated solid resilience amid a challenging global backdrop, Maria Ramos, group chair of Standard Chartered, said in a recent interview with Xinhua, adding that the bank remains positive about the country's economic prospects.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Financial Street Forum held in Beijing, Ramos said China would remain one of the world's key growth engines, making tangible contributions to regional and global prosperity.
Her remarks came as data released by China's National Bureau of Statistics on Monday showed that the country's gross domestic product (GDP) grew 4.6 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters of 2026. GDP expanded 5.0 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, 4.3 percent in the second quarter and 4.5 percent in the third quarter of the year.
Ramos said that despite short-term challenges, Standard Chartered believes China can meet its annual GDP growth target for 2026 of 4.5 to 5 percent. The bank's confidence, she noted, rests not only on the scale of China's market and the strong foundations of its real economy, but more importantly on China's proven ability to adapt and innovate in response to external changes.
"China has proven its capability to lead in a variety of advanced manufacturing sectors, including EVs, renewables and batteries. Sustained high-level opening up, science-driven innovation, and the expansion of high-tech and green manufacturing will provide important foundations for continued growth," Ramos said.
The business leader observed that the world is undergoing a profound transformation, marked by both formidable challenges and new opportunities. Amid these structural shifts, China's long-term strategic vision will play an important role in shaping a more resilient global economy, Ramos added.
Attending the Financial Street Forum for the second consecutive year, Ramos, also a member of the International Advisory Council of China's National Financial Regulatory Administration, welcomed the progress in China's financial-sector opening up, describing it as "encouraging."
She noted that China continues to expand institutional and two-way opening up, guided by market-oriented, law-based and internationally aligned principles. These efforts are making it easier for global investors to access the Chinese market while helping domestic investors connect with international markets, she said.
The country is also advancing renminbi (RMB) internationalization, strengthening Shanghai's role as an international financial center, and consolidating and enhancing Hong Kong's status as one. These efforts support more transparent, stable and predictable market rules, providing a stronger foundation for sustained confidence among long-term global investors, she said.
Ramos pointed out that China's economy is growing in a more innovation-driven and quality-oriented manner, and that the orderly advancement of financial opening up has created tangible opportunities for Standard Chartered's China-related business, particularly in RMB internationalization, the global expansion of Chinese corporates, cross-border trade, green finance and wealth management.
Citing examples, she said Standard Chartered has provided RMB-denominated cross-border receivables financing to a leading Chinese EV manufacturer to support its overseas expansion. The bank has also provided green project financing to a Chinese company for the construction of a battery gigafactory in Sunderland, Britain.
With a presence in China spanning nearly 170 years, Standard Chartered views the country as one of its most strategically important markets, Ramos said. The bank has been both a participant in and a beneficiary of China's reform and opening up, and remains firmly committed to the Chinese market over the long term.
Between 2020 and 2026, the bank invested almost 600 million U.S. dollars in China, and Ramos said it would continue to invest in its China franchise and technology. "We are aiming to turn our confidence in China into tangible action on the ground," she said. ■
