Trade Fair China’s import expo inspires more Made-in-Germany brand

China retained its position as the largest trade partner of Germany for the fifth consecutive year in 2020, according to a report released by the Federal Statistical Office of Germany.

Statistics show that despite Covid-19, the bilateral trade volume between China and Germany rose by 3 per cent year-on-year to about 212.1 billion euros (258 billion dollars). China was the second largest export destination of German goods in 2020, with the value of exports from Germany to China hitting around 95.9 billion euros last year. China was also Germany’s largest destination for exports of electric and electrical products in 2020, according to the German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association (ZVEI).

Max Milbredt, an official with Germany Trade & Investment (GTAI), said that German products are hugely attractive in the Chinese market, and have helped deepen the trade relations between the two countries. A growing number of made-in-Germany products have been found in the Chinese market, and a great number of them have made their way to China through the China International Import Expo (CIIE).

The CIIE, which aims to facilitate international trade and investment, is the world's largest import expo and one of the top 10 business shows in the world. Germany, which has a number of large enterprises specialized in equipment manufacturing, automobiles and heath care, has been an important participant of the annual expo. It was the guest-of-honor country at the first CIIE.

Clas Neumann, chairman of the board of the German Chamber of Commerce in China, said that the CIIE is a good opportunity for German enterprises to showcase their cutting-edge products in technology, innovation and lifestyle. He also noted that the expo is an ideal platform for German enterprises to demonstrate their sustainable innovation ability to the Chinese market.

By participating in the CIIE, German enterprises can expand their brand influence and promote the ‘Made in Germany’ label, Neumann added.

"The huge success of the last three editions of the expo have proven that the CIIE is an excellent platform for German companies to introduce their products and services to the Chinese market, strengthening their network and establishing contacts," said Jan Jovy, the general manager of German Chambers of Commerce Abroad (AHK) Shanghai at the CIIE’s promotional webinar to woo more German firms.

In a survey of German business in China done by the chamber last year, 55 per cent of the surveyed companies said that the CIIE is important to their operations in the Chinese market. About 170 German firms attended the third edition of the expo last year, with their combined exhibition area surpassing 18,000 square meters, the highest among European countries.

Among the different segments, the Intelligent Industry and Information Technology Exhibition Area was one of the most important stages for participating German firms.

At the 2020 edition of the expo, the 70,000-square-meter area housed over 300 global leading industrial players from around 40 countries and regions. More than 400 media organizations turned their lens to the exhibition area during last year’s expo, and over 100 new technologies and products made their debuts at the area.

Last year, the Intelligent Industry Information Technology Exhibition Area also housed the Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection subsection, which focused on fields such as water saving, new energy, resource recycling and environmental protection.

On March 16, the CIIE Bureau announced that the Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection subsection would evolve into a new subsection showcasing low-carbon energy and environmental protection technology.

This section, which will gather new products, technologies and solutions in the areas of green energy, energy conservation of construction and environmental governance, is part of CIIE’s efforts to contribute to the achievement of China’s carbon neutrality goal by 2060.

A number of renowned German firms such as Siemens Energy and HST will be participating in this section. A new special subsection for integrated circuit exhibitors will also debut at the exhibition area this year, according to the CIIE Bureau. Along with the newly added subsection, a special committee for the integrated circuit industry will also be established to serve as an advisory body.

The CIIE had previously set up a special committee on industrial digital transformation to integrate the entire industrial chain for industrial digital transformation and offer advanced digital transformation solutions to enterprises in the field of industrial production.

The fourth CIIE will also add a special section for industrial digital transformation, a move aligned with the expo's aim to become more specialized in different industries.

Preparations for the fourth CIIE are well underway. Hundreds of enterprises, including many well-known German firms such as Metro, Bayer and Siemens, have already signed up for this year’s expo.

Companies interested in attending the fourth edition can register here.

You can also contact: ciie2021@ciie.org

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