Interview: Germany-China partnership crucial amid global challenges, trade expert says
Germany-China partnership is built on trust and mutual respect, and now it is time to further consolidate this cooperation, Roland Bleinroth, chief executive officer of leading German event organizer Messe Stuttgart, said in a recent interview with Xinhua.
Describing China as "a very important market" for German companies, Bleinroth emphasized that, given the current global challenges, the Chinese market has become even more vital.
According to him, German companies are showing strong confidence in China. The decisions by a wide array of German companies to double down on their investment in China reflect an unwavering commitment to the Chinese market.
Messe Stuttgart manages the Stuttgart trade fair center and hosts various exhibitions, trade fairs, congresses, and technical conferences, which have welcomed a multitude of Chinese participants over the past years.
Citing the active participation of Chinese exhibitors and visitors at German fairs, as well as robust German engagement in trade shows across China, Bleinroth said that trade exhibitions play a pivotal role in fostering these ties.
As key exporters in the world, China and Germany have been championing the idea of globalization and free trade. Bleinroth underscored that globalization, although being unfairly portrayed as a zero-sum game, has actually driven economic growth over the past few decades, and still represents a win-win scenario for all participants in international commerce.
Bleinroth expressed concern that this "economic commonsense" is being questioned. With technological advancements such as artificial intelligence, automation, and robotics reshaping industries worldwide, he called for closer collaboration between Germany and China to pursue common goals.
Looking ahead, Bleinroth said he remains optimistic about the future of Germany-China cooperation. "There are so many things that we can work together on for the common benefit of both sides and also for the rest of the world," he said.
"We need to focus on what we can do together," rather than on our differences, he added.
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