WTCA Attended CCPIT Summit 2026

On May 18, Mr. Edward Allison-Wright, World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) Vice Chair-Treasurer and Director of WTC Gibraltar, attended the Global Trade and Investment Promotion Summit (GTIS) 2026 hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) in Beijing, China, on behalf of WTCA Chairman John E. Drew and the WTCA Board of Directors. He was joined by Mr. Scott Wang, WTCA Vice President, Asia Pacific; and Ms. Adele Zhang, WTCA Senior Regional Services Manager, Asia Pacific.

Under the theme “Connecting the Future Through Innovation,” GTIS 2026 brought together government officials, international organizations, trade promotion institutions, business leaders and experts from around the world to explore new drivers of global economic growth. Discussions focused on topics including New Quality Productive Forces Embedded in Global Industrial and Supply Chain Cooperation, the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in international commerce, and pathways for strengthening cross-border economic and trade collaboration in an increasingly digitalized world.

Speaking at the panel session titled “Empowering Global Economic and Trade Cooperation Through Artificial Intelligence,” Mr. Allison-Wright emphasized the transformative potential of AI in enhancing global trade networks while stressing the importance of maintaining a people-centered approach to AI development as trust, human creativity and international cooperation remain essential foundations for sustainable economic growth. He also pointed out that AI aligns with WTCA’s long-standing vision of connecting businesses and facilitating cross-border economic cooperation.

*In the Picture: Mr. Allison-Wright spoke at the CCPIT Summit 2026 and was interviewed by major Chinese media at the Summit.