The 2009 World Design Congress and the first Beijing International Design Week opened at the Beijing World Art Museum on October 24, 2009. The World Design Development Summit was held at the same time, where international and Chinese designers as well as government officials discussed the future of the design industry.

Gu Shengzu, member of the Standing Committee of NPC and vice chairman of the Central Committee of China National Democratic Construction Association.

Though the Chinese economy has been developing at a fast pace throughout the past 30 years, cheap labor and investment are still the main drivers of the economy, according to Gu Shengzu, member of the Standing Committee of NPC and vice chairman of the Central Committee of China National Democratic Construction Association. He described the Chinese economy as "large but not strong, fast but not high-quality." He cited an example of the profit distribution of a mouse sold at the price US$24. The designers earn US$8, while the manufacturers get merely US$0.3.

David Kester, Chief Executive of the UK Design Council