China remains a market with significant growth potential for the UK-based workspace provider, as rapid innovation, industrial upgrading and changing business models continue to create new demand, said Edward Hu, country president of International Workplace Group China.
Edward Hu, country president of International Workplace Group China. CHEN ZEBING/CHINA DAILY
Hu made the remarks during the recent “CEO: Grow with China” roundtable in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, which was hosted by China Daily under the guidance of the Xi’an Municipal Government.
“Workspace has become innovation infrastructure,” Hu said. “It is no longer just a physical container for employees, but an agile platform that facilitates technology, trade and cross-border collaboration.”
Hu said the rise of new quality productive forces is reshaping how companies organize resources and respond to market changes. In a more uncertain global business environment, traditional, centralized office models are giving way to more flexible and distributed networks, he said.
“Agility defines competitiveness,” Hu said. “In the digital era, the traditional 9-to-5 commute is increasingly becoming a relic of industrial-era productivity.”
“When you give knowledge workers the freedom to work closer to home, you reduce commuting pressure and help unlock innovation,” he added. “Flexibility is productivity.”
The shift is being accelerated by the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence in China, Hu said, noting that AI tools and automated workflows are enabling entrepreneurs and technology-driven firms to expand operations with fewer fixed assets and lower operating costs.
Xi’an, the host city of the roundtable, offers a clear example of how inland cities are becoming part of this transformation, he said.
As the ancient starting point of the Silk Road, the city is emerging as a key inland hub for innovation, trade and global talent flows, while accelerating its shift toward high-quality growth driven by new quality productive forces.
That shift is generating stronger demand for flexible business services and cross-regional workspace support, especially as Xi’an’s trade links continue to expand.
According to Guanzhong Customs, Xi’an’s total imports and exports reached 181.92 billion yuan ($26.8 billion) in the first quarter of this year, up 74.2 percent year-on-year.
Hu said the growth reflects the increasingly important role of the China-Europe freight train service in transporting high value-added products, including new energy vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and photovoltaic products.
He added that the development of physical trade corridors should be accompanied by stronger channels for the flow of people, ideas and business services.
“Railway logistics move physical goods,” he said. “Alongside this movement, we are building a workspace corridor along these trade pipelines. If trains move goods, flexible working networks move people and ideas.”
In Xi’an, the company has established seven centers across major business and growth areas, including Gaoxin, Jingkai, Beilin, Yanta, Xincheng and Xixian New Area, Hu added.
Tanks to chinadaily.com.cn
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