On 28 August 2025, the EU SME Centre and the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China hosted an online policy meeting to discuss the trends in current global supply chains and the role China plays in them. The event featured presentations by Lauren Piper, Senior Analyst at Rhodium Group, and Elaine Chen, Vice President of DHL Group.
To start with, Lauren Piper introduced key findings from Rhodium Group’s recent report China and the Future of Global Supply Chains. She emphasised that China’s production efficiency, scale, and reliability continue to anchor its role in supply chains, even as labour costs rise. While U.S. tariffs and economic security policies may create opportunities for diversification, shifts to date remain limited and often involve Chinese inputs or firms relocating abroad. She also outlined four potential scenarios for global supply chains over the next years, shaped by the strength of U.S.–EU de-risking policies and the relative competitiveness of Chinese manufacturing.
Elaine Chen then provided on-the-ground insights from DHL’s global logistics operations. She forecasted a modestly faster grow pace for global trade over the next five years, with the strongest expected in emerging markets, such as Sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia. She emphasised that globalisation has proven highly resilient despite repeated shocks, and real supply chain resilience requires building multiple safeguards. Drawing on DHL’s experience, she introduced the company’s “China+X” multi-shoring strategy, which promotes diversifying production and suppliers across several countries while also expanding transport modes, logistics hubs, warehouses, and flexible regulatory approaches to spread risk and strengthen resilience.
The event concluded with an engaging Q&A session.
