Simon Lichtenberg, founder of Trayton Group in Shanghai and All China Founding Chairman of the Danish Chamber of Commerce in China Photo: Courtesy of Simon Lichtenberg

　　China"s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) shows the unique strength of the world"s second largest economy in long-term planning. By carefully mapping out multi-year strategies, China not only supports its own economic growth but also provides stability and predictability for the global economy, Simon Lichtenberg, founder of Trayton Group in Shanghai and All China Founding Chairman of the Danish Chamber of Commerce in China, told the Global Times on Friday, on the sidelines of the ongoing two sessions.

　　This came as China on Thursday unveiled major development targets for the 2026-30 period as a government work report was submitted to the country"s top legislature for deliberation.

　　As a Danish entrepreneur who has lived in Shanghai for over 30 years, Lichtenberg said he was inspired by the five-year plan. Having participated in legislative consultations and public discussions over the years, he has witnessed China"s evolving policies and the active involvement of people from all walks of life—a country where he has studied, built a family, and developed his business.

　　Lichtenberg is among the foreign business representatives best positioned to provide an objective and comprehensive perspective on China"s changes.

　　His personal journey reflects this engagement. In 1987, after graduating high school, he came to Fudan University in China. In 1995, he founded Trayton Group in Shanghai and has since promoted China-Denmark economic and investment cooperation. His furniture company grew from scratch into a billion-yuan business, exporting high-quality, China-made furniture worldwide.