Visitors check the exhibits at the CIIE. Photo: Global Times

 
Despite speculations that in the post-Merkel era China-Germany relations, which have maintained robust development in the past few years, may not keep the momentum, it seems that German company's enthusiasm over the Chinese market has not waned.

At the exhibition hall of intelligent industry and information technology at the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE), some German companies with decades of history are presenting their latest products and services, particularly in the infrastructure market including well-known Siemens, plastic pipe systems industrial leader aquatherm GmbH and 150-year-old German pump firm Wilo.

Over 150 German companies attended the fourth CIIE, covering the sectors of intelligent industry and information technology, consumer goods, food and agricultural products and automobile, according to the German Chambers of Commerce Abroad (AHK). AHK told the Global Times on Saturday that many German SMEs have showed their interest in China's infrastructure market, and the German chambers are making efforts to facilitate cooperation.

Wilo attended the expo for the first time and demonstrated its product portfolios and innovative technologies in construction services, water management and industry sectors. They introduced the Wilo-Rexa SOLID-Q series sewage pump, which is one of the most advanced intelligent pumps in the world, Lyman Tu, Wilo group vice president of China and South East Asia, told the Global Times.

Having seen the importance of the Chinese market, the company has made China its second global headquarters, covering the whole business of emerging market. Meanwhile, the company's new industry 4.0 factory in Changzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province, will launch production in 2022.

Under China's plan to have CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, the company vows to "contribute 50 million tons of CO2 savings toward energy saving by 2025," Tu said, noting that their target is to extend the portfolio of high efficiency smart products at 15 percent growth rate to save energy.

Wilo and China Construction Fourth Engineering Division had signed a strategic cooperation agreement at the fourth CIIE on Saturday as the latter purchased products worth over 20 million yuan ($3.12 million).

Many enterprises are transforming themselves to focus on green tech and products to meet China's growing infrastructure industry, Yang Chunguang, assistant to the general manager at China Construction Fourth Engineering Division Installation Engineering Co, told the Global Times on Saturday. Yang noted that they cooperated with the German company as it specializes and focuses in pump products research and development to improve efficiency.

"China is focusing on the low-carbon and smart infrastructure in the future, and our company will work on it to bring greener tech and products to Chinese market," Talys Wang, administrative director from the plastic pipe systems industrial leader aquatherm, told the Global Times on Sunday, noting that they have reached cooperative intentions ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions yuan.

At the venue, Siemens also showcased its latest blueprint for building smart cities, and the company said it is working on it to help build smarter infrastructure and a more sustainable transport network.

In the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), a layout for new infrastructure will be made out involving with information networks and technological innovation. In 2020, China's investment in key areas of new infrastructure such as industrial internet, big data centers, 5G and AI amounted to about 1 trillion yuan, according to a report released by Qianzhan Industry Research Institute in February.

Many local regions including East China's Jiangsu Province and Southwest China's Sichuan Province have released plans recently to clarify the construction targets for a number of major projects in the next five years, such as data centers and industrial internet, according to media reports. Also, the participation of private capital and overseas capital is further encouraged.