The FutureChina Global Forum (FCGF) will return for its 16th edition on 19 September 2025 at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Singapore. The annual event will gather government officials, academics and business leaders to discuss pressing issues such as geopolitics, economic ties, China’s transformation and technological innovation. The Business China Youth Forum (BCYF) will run in parallel, followed by the Business China Awards (BCA) ceremony in the evening.
Forum highlights
Themed “The World in Flux: Challenges and Opportunities”, this year’s forum expects more than 600 delegates from over 20 countries. Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry, Gan Kim Yong, will deliver the opening keynote address.
Among the headline sessions are a fireside chat with Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan and a conversation featuring Bridgewater Associates founder Ray Dalio with Ng Kok Song, chairman of Avanda Investment Management.
The agenda includes four main panel discussions. The opening plenary will examine how geopolitical shifts are reshaping Southeast Asia and strategies businesses can adopt to remain resilient. The second panel will focus on ASEAN–China economic ties, considering both risks and opportunities of deepening integration. The third will explore China’s evolving policies and their impact on growth, private enterprise and technology. The final panel will look at the role of artificial intelligence, its transformative potential, and the risks it poses.
Youth forum to inspire future leaders
The sixth Business China Youth Forum will take place alongside the main event, highlighting the perspectives of younger leaders in an uncertain global environment. Topics will include AI companions, humanoid robots and digital entrepreneurship, with the aim of inspiring youth to drive collaboration between Singapore, China and the wider region.
Guest of Honour Goh Pei Ming, Minister of State for Home Affairs and for Social and Family Development, will attend the forum and witness the signing of memoranda of understanding with Singapore’s five polytechnics. These agreements will strengthen collaboration through internships and China-focused programmes designed to enhance cross-cultural fluency among students and faculty.
Celebrating Singapore-China partnerships
The 12th edition of the Business China Awards, co-presented with OCBC, will recognise individuals and organisations that have played a key role in strengthening Singapore-China relations across business, social and cultural fields.
“The uncertainties and tensions we face today are borderless and complex, and no one has all the answers. In a world in flux, where challenges and opportunities emerge side by side, it is especially important to bring together business leaders, experts, decision makers and even youths – whose perspectives and energy are vital to navigating change and shaping the future together,” said Kwek Poh Heok, Chief Executive Officer of Business China. “We are grateful to our steadfast partners and stakeholders, whose support has enabled the FutureChina Global Forum to grow into a meaningful and open space for dialogue and collaboration.”
Tan Teck Long, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of OCBC, added: “In a time of macroeconomic recalibration and evolving international dynamics, the role of the FutureChina Global Forum as a platform for dialogue, collaboration and visionary leadership is more vital than ever. OCBC’s longstanding support for the FCGF and the Business China Awards reflects our strategic commitment to enabling ASEAN-Greater China connectivity and empowering businesses to pursue their cross-border trade and investment goals.”
The forum and awards ceremony will once again highlight Singapore’s role as a hub for dialogue and collaboration between China and the region.
