China has embraced digital transformation as the world's second-largest economy enters the "new

normal". Foreign conglomerates are keen on seizing the opportunities and supporting the

government to bring the benefits of new technologies to every sector and each region.

Here top executives of multinationals look back at 2016 and gaze into the crystal ball as we head

into 2017.

"We believes that we are uniquely positioned to help accelerate China's digital transformation in line with the ambitions expressed in the 13th Five-Year Plan, which will largely be driven by cloud-based technologies."

Alain Crozier

                                                                                     Chairman and CEO of Microsoft Greater China Regio

"A slowdown from such a rapid growth rate is to be expected but 6.5 percent GDP growth is still a comparatively high rate of growth in a low growth world and therefore highly attractive to global companies."

Chris Houghton

Ericsson's senior vice president

"According to the 13th Five-Year Plan, about 50 new major airports will be established to accommodate the region's growth in air travel, and we estimate that six to seven percent annual growth will be seen in passenger traffic, airplane acquisitions and total flying hours in the next two decades."

Steven Lien

President of Honeywell Aerospace Asia-Pacific

" IDC sees China as not only an important market to the world but also one that is growing in complexity with regional and global integration."

Kitty Fok, managing director of International Data Corporation (IDC) China