Germany's Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Katherina Reiche led a delegation to Guangdong on May 28 and attended the China-Germany Business Roundtable in Guangzhou, the provincial capital.
The delegation included more than 20 government officials and more than 30 executives from major German companies such as BASF and Siemens Energy.
In her remarks, Reiche said German companies highly value China's economic vitality and industrial chain strengths. She said Germany stands ready to further expand practical cooperation with Guangdong in green petrochemicals, new energy vehicles, and intelligent manufacturing.
She noted that combining German "production know-how" with China's "AI strengths" could unlock significant growth potential and support the digital, intelligent, and green transition of both sides.
Figures show that Guangdong plays a key role in China-Germany economic and trade cooperation. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), Guangdong's total trade with Germany rose from RMB 217 billion to RMB 265.5 billion, representing an average annual growth rate of 6.4%. Its share of China's total trade with Germany increased from 14.3% to 17.6%.
Two-way investment has delivered several landmark projects, including the BASF (Guangdong) Integrated Site and the SEW South China Manufacturing Base Project.
Guangdong enterprises are also expanding actively in Germany. In 2025, Guangdong set up 34 new companies in Germany, with nearly US$80 million in paid-in capital. Meanwhile, Germany established 53 new foreign-funded enterprises in Guangdong, with US $30 million in paid-in capital.
ZEISS, TÜV SÜD, and other companies shared their cooperation achievements in green energy, AI applications, and testing and certification. DELO expressed strong interest in partnering with Guangdong's specialized, sophisticated, distinctive, and innovative "little giant" small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in emerging fields such as raw materials, digital technology, and biomedicine.
The roundtable further strengthened China-Germany economic and trade cooperation as an "anchor of stability" and showcased Guangdong's openness and innovative vitality as one of the most active provinces in bilateral cooperation. Both sides agreed to remain committed to openness, mutual trust, and mutual benefit, respond jointly to global structural changes, and work together to create a green and prosperous future.
Reporter | Huang Xinyi, Tang Zitian
Photo | Nanfang Plus
