Dr. Victor K. Fung, a member of the Tsinghua School of Economics and Management (Tsinghua SEM) Advisory Board and group chairman of Fung Investments, delivered a lecture to more than 60 MBA students and Schwarzman Scholars at Tsinghua University on October 24, 2024. His talk, titled "Business Opportunities and Challenges under the Geopolitical Environment," focused on the evolution and challenges of global supply chains and international trade amid complex geopolitical dynamics. The event was moderated by MBA student representatives.

Victor K. Fung speaks at Tsinghua SEM.

Fung said today's global trade and supply chains face unprecedented challenges, and he predicted that geopolitical tensions are unlikely to improve significantly over the next five to ten years. He urged enterprises to explore innovative strategies to overcome trade barriers. Fung also discussed the trend of supply chain fragmentation and new developments in the wave of globalization. He stressed that multinational companies must find unique paths to thrive amid geopolitical complexity. Chinese enterprises, in particular, should actively integrate into the upstream segments of the global supply chain and focus on advancing technology-intensive industries, which Fung views as both an inevitable trend and core component of a sustainable future supply chain.

Photo from the event

Following the lecture, students were invited to engage in a lively discussion with Fung. Responding to questions about enterprise innovation and entrepreneurship strategies in an era of technological revolution, Fung advised students to carefully consider market acceptance and the pace of technological diffusion when implementing new technologies. Addressing globalization strategies for manufacturing enterprises, he said that producer services are essential to enabling Chinese manufacturers to succeed internationally. Fung also discussed strategies for adapting to policy changes in global markets, advocating for a "diversified business layout" and the importance of flexible "trade financing" models. Fung further offered his insights on integrating academic knowledge with real-world business practices and identifying opportunities in the evolving global economy.

Students bring their questions to the interaction session.

During the 90-minute session, Fung drew on his extensive cross-border business experience and deep industry insights to offer Tsinghua students a highly inspiring lesson. At the end of the class, the students presented him with a special gift - a portrait painted on the spot by a doctoral student from the Tsinghua Academy of Arts and Design. This gift conveyed the students' respect and gratitude, creating a lasting memory of the event.

Portrait of Fung drawn during the lecture

MBA student representatives present a gift to Fung.

Group photo

Source: Tsinghua SEM MBA Programs

Editor: Ren Zhongxi