The Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce has the pleasure to invite you to an Expert Keynote: “China AI in focus: What European businesses need to know now” on 19 October at 16:30 at Cercle Royal La Concorde, Kouter 150 in Ghent.

During this expert keynote, Mr Etienne Charlier, AI & Business Strategy Expert, will provide insights into China’s fast-moving artificial intelligence landscape and explain how Chinese companies are turning AI technologies into practical applications across industries.

China’s AI ecosystem is developing rapidly, moving from computer vision and large language models to robotics and increasingly sophisticated real-world applications. Chinese companies are not only developing new models, but are also integrating AI into manufacturing, mobility, services, automation and other areas of the economy.

The keynote will look beyond the familiar US technology platforms and introduce participants to Chinese open models, tools and technologies that European companies can test, adapt and further develop. It will also examine how these technologies are being operationalised and where they may offer new opportunities for European businesses.

At the same time, adopting AI technologies involves important strategic considerations. Mr Charlier will address key risks and trade-offs related to data, models, cybersecurity, compliance and critical technological dependencies, and discuss how European companies can assess these issues when developing their own AI strategies.

The session will also explore why the current competitive window is particularly important and why and how European companies should act now as AI capabilities continue to advance rapidly in China and globally.

The keynote will provide CEOs, business leaders and internationally active companies with a practical perspective on China’s AI ecosystem, the technologies emerging from it and the implications for European companies seeking to remain competitive in an increasingly AI-driven global economy.

Programme is as follows:

16:30 – 17:00 | Registration and networking

17:00 – 17:05 | Welcome and introduction by **Ms Gwenn Sonck, Executive Director, Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce**

17:05 – 17:50 | Presentation: “China AI in Focus: What European Businesses Need to Know Now”

Mr Etienne Charlier, AI & Business Strategy Expert

17:50 – 18:15 | Questions and answers

18:15 – 19:00 | Networking drinks

The programme will conclude with networking drinks, offering participants the opportunity to exchange views with the speaker and fellow business leaders on the opportunities, risks and strategic implications of China’s rapidly developing AI ecosystem for European companies.

Practical information:

Date: 19 October 2026

Time: 16:30 – 19:00 CEST

Location: Cercle Royal La Concorde, Kouter 150, Ghent, Belgium

About the speaker

Mr Etienne Charlier is an AI & Business Strategy Expert with almost 30 years of professional experience in China. He holds an **MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management** and degrees in **Engineering and Philosophy from UCL**.

Throughout his career, Mr Charlier has combined technology expertise with extensive business experience in China. He previously served as **China General Manager and Vice President for a telecommunications equipment company** and later founded a consulting firm in Shanghai, advising companies on strategy, technology and business development.

His engagement with artificial intelligence dates back to his early work with **deep learning in 1988**, and he renewed his focus on the field in 2016 as advances in machine learning began transforming industries. Drawing on his long-standing experience in China and his understanding of both technology and business strategy, Mr Charlier offers a practical perspective on how China’s AI ecosystem is evolving and what these developments mean for European companies.