China International Import Expo: German companies welcome more open China

World
Europe

02:28

German companies, especially those which have close business ties with Chinese market, welcome a more open China. CGTN's Guy Henderson reports.

This is exactly the kind of specialist equipment that Germany has "No business is successful" and China wants. "Without the right connection." Schunk makes clamping and gripping technology that goes into everything from transport systems to wind turbines. The German company opened a new headquarters in Shanghai in 2015, but it still needs to bring in products from Europe.

NITIN KUMAR TYAGI SCHUNK GMBH "Our raw material is a block — it's specialist material — you need to have some big investment to produce that material. Second: the quality, you cannot maintain the quality if you have different plants for manufacturing raw materials. Because of global quality, we decided to have it in Germany."

German conglomerate ThyssenKrupp might be best known for producing steel: something China already has plenty of. But the company also manufactures all kinds of machinery, from elevators to renewable energy infrastructure. Much of it's made in China: but German know how still needed.

CHRISTIAN BUKER THYSSENKRUPP "We are importing our engineering knowledge to China, and also to work with the Chinese people there. China's market is always increasing."

No one here's disputing that.

GUY HENDERSON HAMBURG "German businesses have long complained of the difficulties of accessing the Chinese market. But next month, both the companies we've spoken to here will be guests of honour at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai."

"Enterprises from more than 100 countries and regions, and some 150,000 buyers are expected to be present at the Expo."

And in a Chinese push to boost imports, Germany might be well-placed. Though European observers say sectors like construction and cosmetics are still finding it tricky to get a foothold.

MORITZ RUDOLF ANALYST, EURASIA BRIDGES "The foreign entity that was operating in China, was benefiting the Chinese consumers and the Chinese economy in the long run. There's still some hurdles and they have been in some areas, have been lowered, but in others, it has been complicated."

Expos like these might smooth their way. GH, CGTN, HAMBURG.