SHANGHAI, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- China is becoming an increasingly important source of innovation for global markets, as German intralogistics firm Jungheinrich plans to use a warehouse planning platform developed in part by its China-based engineers in Asia-Pacific and European markets, a senior executive said Saturday.
Bai Daping, Jungheinrich's vice president of automation and warehouse equipment for Asia-Pacific and managing director for China, told Xinhua during the ninth China International Import Expo (CIIE) that the company's participation in all nine editions reflects a shift from showcasing German-made equipment to developing solutions in China for global markets.
"When we first participated, we mainly showcased a narrow-aisle forklift imported from Germany," Bai recalled, adding that the expo has gradually evolved into an "innovation factory" where the company explores new technologies and applications based on customer needs and cooperation with local partners.
Running from Nov. 5 to 10, this year's CIIE has attracted 4,142 overseas exhibitors, including more than 300 Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders. Over 480 exhibits are set to make their global, Asian or China debuts at the 2026 event, the highest number in its history.
Beyond offering access to China's vast market, the CIIE is increasingly serving as a platform for multinational companies to gauge market demand, forge innovation partnerships and explore opportunities to bring China-developed solutions to global markets.
For its ninth consecutive appearance at the expo, Jungheinrich is presenting SMART Plus 3.0, an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled warehouse planning and simulation platform developed in part by its China-based engineers using AI-assisted programming, marking the product's Asia-Pacific debut.
Bai said the platform, designed to simplify the planning and simulation of automated warehouses, has gained recognition from the company's German headquarters and is planned for use in Asia-Pacific and European markets.
Bai previously described China as a "global fitness center" for multinational companies, a metaphor he said represents both a compliment and a source of pressure, as the country's rapid pace of innovation, diverse industrial applications and competitive market environment encourage businesses to continuously improve.
He noted that China's role has evolved over the past five years, with software, hardware and logistics solutions developed in China increasingly gaining recognition among international customers and finding applications across the Asia-Pacific region and Europe.
Such developments reflect a broader shift among multinational companies, which increasingly view China not only as a sales market or manufacturing base, but also as a partner in research, product development and global innovation.
Jungheinrich also aims to work more closely with Chinese suppliers and other partners to explore overseas markets, while using its global sales and service networks to support Chinese enterprises expanding internationally, Bai said.
Looking ahead three to five years, Bai said allocating more research and development resources to China "could yield several-fold returns," citing the country's well-developed industrial ecosystem, competitive supply chains and capable research teams.
He identified software development as a major investment priority and said the company would strengthen cooperation with Chinese supply-chain partners, including through potential capital investment and acquisitions, to better serve global markets.
"We have entered our ninth season at the CIIE, and the storyline keeps evolving," Bai said. "What has remained unchanged is the expo's value in fostering exchanges of ideas and closer dialogue between customers and suppliers." ■
