This week at the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, leaders faced a world sliced by geopolitical rifts, economic barriers, and social unease. Yet rather than retreat, the vibe was all about recalibration. 🚀
WEF President Borge Brende kicked things off with a killer metaphor: countries and companies are “finding the way like water,” flowing around blockages to keep progress alive. 💧
Swiss President Guy Parmelin stressed that science, society, economics, and politics must sync up. Solving challenges in silos? No thanks. 🧩
The Chinese mainland’s message, delivered by the Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, zoomed in on the future of economic globalization. He admitted it’s far from perfect but totally shut down any urge to go it alone. Instead, he argued that talking and teaming up are the only ways to make globalization fairer and more inclusive. 🌐🤝
My chat with European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde was refreshingly real. When I asked what it takes for deep cooperation between the Chinese mainland and Europe, she said, “There is no love. There are only proofs of love.” Translation: shared values are cool, but real partnerships need concrete actions—think fair pricing, clear rules, and tackling imbalances head-on. 💡
No fairy tale of returning to a golden age of globalization—Davos 2026 was about understanding the new rules of the game. If cooperation is water, it's up to big players to show, through real choices and shared responsibility, that collaboration isn't just a dream but totally doable. 🌍✨
Reference(s):
Davos 2026: Finding new paths for cooperation in a fragmented world
cgtn.com
