WOLFSBURG, Germany, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Representatives of the German automotive industry have given positive responses as delegates representing China's Hunan province introduced Hunan at an economic and trade collaboration meeting this weekend.
The Hunan-Germany economic and trade collaboration meeting took place here on Friday, coinciding with the Sino-German Automotive Congress which was attended by hundreds of delegates of the auto industries from the two countries.
On the sidelines of the meeting room, Gundula Henkel, a board member of the German-Chinese Association Saxony-Anhalt, leaned in with a candid smile, holding a notebook filled with scribbled notes.
As the presentations unfolded, Henkel found her view shifting fast and was deeply impressed by China's development momentum. People can see "how cleverly (China's) local strengths are paired with the right industries," she remarked. "It's a real eye-opener."
Liu Suyue, deputy director of the Hunan Provincial Department of Commerce, summarized the advantages of Hunan as a favorable destination for German investment as "5C": cost, consumer base, whole supply chain cluster, talent base of colleges and convenient environment.
"We are ready to work with you, and I believe our sincerity can bridge the distance from the Xiang River to the Rhine," Liu said.
Germany is currently home to quite a few well-known companies from Hunan province, including the Sany Group.
As a Chinese multinational heavy equipment manufacturing company, Sany Group in 2012 acquired Putzmeister, one of the world's leading construction equipment companies.
Michael Bose, chairman of the Board at automotive BerlinBrandenburg e.V. was present at the meeting with interest.
"I am pleased that we have the opportunity today to engage with Hunan-and specifically with its representatives, as well as potentially later with Sany Group-to discuss vehicles and automotive technologies," he said.
As the chairman of a German association representing companies from the special-purpose vehicle manufacturing sector, Bose is well aware that the German companies "currently have a very strong interest in, and are actively seeking contacts within, the electric vehicle industry, particularly regarding heavy trucks and heavy machinery in relation to China."
As a major manufacturing province in China, Hunan boasts a solid foundation in the automotive industry. These industrial capabilities not only provide enterprises with supporting supply chains and opportunities for market expansion, but also create ample room for China-Germany cooperation on new technologies and products, said Liu Minqiang, Director-General of the Investment Promotion Agency of the Ministry of Commerce, in a speech at the meeting.
"By aligning Hunan's promotion meeting with the Sino-German Automotive Congress today, our objective is to deepen the German community's understanding of Hunan," Liu Minqiang said.
Uwe Fritsch, member relations specialist of automotiveland.nrw, an automotive industry cluster in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, also highlighted the importance of closer exchanges between China and Germany.
"As Lower Saxony's Minister-President Olaf Lies has also pointed out, what we need is greater cooperation - and in both directions," Fritsch said. "This means not only closer economic collaboration between German and Chinese companies, but also, equally importantly in the current climate, greater mutual understanding and dialogue." ■
