The China Development Forum 2026 Annual Meeting was held from March 22 to March 23. Lars Hendrik Roller, founder of Berlin Global Dialogue, attended and delivered a speech.

Lars Hendrik Roller stated that globalization currently faces many challenges. Although trade growth is slowing, the overall trend has not weakened. Seventy percent of global trade is still conducted under the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO), so most efforts toward globalization have not been undermined. He emphasized, "We need to try to envision what the future should look like."

He also mentioned that the world today is undergoing significant transformation and moving in a new direction. "I personally worked in the German government for over ten years. We aimed to establish a rules-based international order, but now that approach has changed considerably. I believe that internationally coordinated policies will be very important in the future. We need trust, and we need policies."

Additionally, Roller expressed the view that the importance of the international multilateral system appears to be diminishing. In the face of challenges, the WTO does not seem to be playing as significant a role as before. He stated that it is essential to carry out relevant reforms of these multilateral institutions, requiring constructive ideas, especially for the WTO.

In this regard, he pointed out that Europe must manage its domestic affairs well. Furthermore, it is necessary to maintain cooperation, although the exact form of that cooperation is not yet clear. There is a need for diversification and avoiding over-reliance. Finally, he emphasized the importance of establishing global dialogue.