James Liang on global expansion

About James Liang

James Liang, co-founder and executive chairman of Trip.com Group, has continued to advocate for policies to address declining fertility rates, which he describes as a major demographic challenge. In interviews, Liang stated that based on statistical analysis, spending about 1% of GDP on child and family support correlates with raising the fertility rate by roughly 10%. He argued that China needs to "completely reverse its family planning policy" and implement generous support programs, including cash subsidies, tax incentives, housing support, expanded daycare, and education reform to reduce pressure on families. Liang warned that without action, China's economy could face a "very high burdened tax rate" or a continuously rising retirement age, and that the "vitality, creativity and the innovativeness of your economy is going to suffer." On the business front, Liang has highlighted Trip.com Group's focus on AI innovation, reporting that its AI tool Trip Genie saw traffic surge by 200% in 2024. He has also discussed the company's expansion into rural tourism, stating a goal to build 10 self-built resorts and influence 100 villages. Liang expressed that the company's long-term ambition is to become the number one travel platform globally, noting that "even being the leader in Asia would be significant because Asia will be the biggest travel market." He has also reflected on past strategic decisions, saying the company could have developed its international business earlier and should have built a more open, multilingual technology platform sooner.

Profile compiled from James Liang's verified public interviews and appearances. See all quotes & transcripts →