German business leaders say Chancellor Friedrich Merz's recent visit to China has reassured them in making further investment plans and expanding their presence in the world's second-largest economy.
Merz's official visit, which took place from Wednesday to Thursday, was his first trip to China as chancellor. It came as China and Europe's largest economy renew their efforts to deepen practical cooperation across various fields, particularly in the economy and trade, amid U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policy, which is shaking the world economy and global trade.
During Merz's visit, which was accompanied by a large delegation of German business representatives, enterprises from both China and Germany inked over 10 business agreements spanning industries such as automobiles, machinery, energy, logistics, and finance.
"[Both] The size of the German business delegation accompanying the German chancellor, but also the level of seniority and the industrial coverage of the delegation, is definitely sending positive signals in our eyes to the German-Sino business ecosystem," said Oliver Oehms, executive director and board member of the German Chamber of Commerce in China-North China.
"It's an honor and a privilege to join Chancellor Merz on his first visit to China. This visit sends a strong signal for dialog, collaboration, and mutual trust," said Oliver Zipse, chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG.
Xue Wei, a managing director at German personal care products giant Beiersdorf AG, also said that Merz's inaugural trip to China has further encouraged her company to expand in China.
"Chancellor Mertz's visit to China this time represents another endorsement of the potential of the Chinese market, and it is also a great encouragement for Beiersdorf's 40-year strategy of deepening our presence in China. It means that we will continue to enjoy a stable, transparent, and predictable business environment, which will make us more confident and emboldened in our long-term investment in China," said Xue, managing director for Beiersdorf's Northeast Asia branch.
On Thursday, Merz traveled to Hangzhou, the provincial capital of east China's Zhejiang, where he met leading Chinese tech innovators, including those from Unitree Robotics, a leading Chinese robotics firm.
Oehme said it reflects Germany's high recognition of China's advancement in industries of the future, such as robotics and artificial intelligence, and strong interest in exploring cooperation in science and technology.
"We believe that the future of bilateral business cooperation is very much triggered by emerging technologies or advanced technologies, for instance, artificial intelligence, but also robotics, automation, and smart manufacturing," he said.
Xue said that Beiersdorf-owned skincare brand Nivea is seeking to further leverage China's central role in the global supply chain and invest more in smart, green production.
"We have already invested over 30 million U.S. dollars in Nivea Shanghai Co., Ltd since 2025. Going forward, we will also continue to comprehensively upgrade our supply chain and strengthen China's position as an important hub in the global supply chain. In the future, everyone will see us make new investments in intelligent and green production, sustainable packaging, and regional distribution centers to further ensure our efficient delivery to the Chinese market," she said.
Leading intralogistics solutions provider Jungheinrich AG is another German enterprise feeling reassured by Merz's China trip. The company has upgraded its software center in China to its second global center, and last year it also launched its second Global OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) Center at its Chinese plant in Qingpu District, Shanghai.
"Chancellor Mertz's visit to China has reassured everyone, since it will help speed up lots of decision-making and the following implementation [of plans]. For instance, Jungheinrich has established its second global software center here, so we will further increase our investment to ensure that we can be faster and stronger in responding to the market," said Bai Daping, general manager of Jungheinrich's China branch.
Merz's China trip reassures German companies in making investment plans
