Delegation of journalists from top Chinese business media are Bavaria’s guests

Invest in Bavaria welcomed a delegation of 7 journalists, accompanied by representatives from Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI) for the second time on 14 and 15 May, 2018.

The focus of the visit was environmental technology and sustainability, among others. As one of the most successful industrial locations in the world, Germany is also an international trailblazer in environmental protection. The topic of environmental protection has been right at the top of the agenda in China for years and not just in the government, but also in business and among the population. The delegation was to get an insight into how Germany copes with the constantly growing challenges in environmental protection as a model country.

The Chinese journalists attended IFAT - the world’s leading trade fair for water, sewage, waste and raw materials management. IFAT, which takes place in the Bavarian capital of Munich every two years, is the industry’s innovation platform. The latest trends in environmental technology are highlighted here. The journalists conducted conversations with trade fair exhibitors and took part in workshops. The Managing Director of the Cluster of environmental technologies Bavaria, Mr Alfred Mayr, welcomed the guests from the Far East to the joint Bavarian stand and explained the Bavarian cluster policy for the environmental sector.

Another agenda item for the visit was to get an impression of Chinese companies in Germany. Bavaria is one of the most attractive investment locations in Europe for international companies. More than 400 Chinese firms have already settled in the white and blue state. One representative of these is KDX Europe Composites R&D Center GmbH based in Weyarn. The journalists visited the Research and Development Centre for Fibre Composites inaugurated in 2016. In doing so, they were amazed that there are just two Chinese among the 40 employees. “Our Chinese parent company very deliberately focused on a German company with a southern German engineering culture,” said a KDX employee.

During the two-day visit to Bavaria the journalists also got a glimpse at the innovative location of Swabia and met the local Chamber of Industry and Commerce there. During a visit to the Fujitsu plant in Augsburg, one of the most modern production locations for computers and storage systems in the world, the impression was reinforced that Bavaria is quite rightly one of the top locations for industry in the world.

The visit was rounded off by a get-together event with the Chinese Consulate General in Munich and representatives of Chinese companies in Bavaria in an informal atmosphere with view of the rippling Eisbach.