German firms urge green cooperation, oppose EV tariffs

AHK Greater China Xceleration Days 2024 is held in Beijing on November 14, 2024. The event is held in Shougang Park, Shijingshan district, Beijing from November 13 to 15, 2024. (Yin Yeping/GT)

German business representatives in China expressed the remaining continuing importance of the Chinese market for German companies and said they seek to strengthen cooperation in key areas including electric vehicles (EVs).

They also reiterated their opposition to the European Commission's decision to impose additional tariffs on imported China-made EVs in the bloc.

The remarks were made on the occasion of the AHK Greater China Xceleration Days 2024, a flagship business event, in Beijing, which is being held from Wednesday to Friday.

This is the third edition of the annual event, with the previous ones held in Shenzhen and Shanghai. This year's event attracted more than 1,100 participants.

The aim of the event is to promote bilateral economic and trade exchanges and cooperation between China and Germany, and accelerate their business development in China.

China, as a large market, has so many consumers and there's still a lot of space to grow, Maximilian Butek, executive director and board member of the German Chamber of Commerce in China-East China, told the Global Times on Thursday.

"We really wanted to build a platform where it's easy especially for small and medium-sized Chinese and German enterprises to get together to not only discuss the latest industry trends, but also to talk about projects," Butek said, noting that both nations have very solid trade relations and "I also believe that we developed quite a good understanding in between."

"We really believe in China as a market, but also as an innovation hub," Butek said, noting that's why German companies are trying to find more cooperation here.

The business event covers a wide range of industry sectors, including green development and technology innovation, among other potential areas for deepening cooperation.

Other areas such as the EV sector were also mentioned.

"Chinese companies really have proven that they are able to build top-notch vehicles... They do that also with a lot of support of our German supplies, and in return, our German suppliers also get very professional, and their performance is getting better and better because of this cooperation with Chinese companies, which often require faster delivery," Butek said.

Regarding the EU's decision to impose additional tariffs on China-made EVs, Butek said that "We positioned ourselves from the beginning that we are against the tariffs, because the German economy is highly dependent on exports, and therefore we need open markets, and closing our own markets does not help... That's why we believe that tariffs are really the wrong tool."

Butek noted that tariffs will only make products more expensive for consumers and won't increase the competitiveness of the local industry. "That's why we also urged the German government to vote against these tariffs, because these tariffs will not improve anything," said Butek.

Oliver Oehms, executive director and board member of the German Chamber of Commerce in China - North China, told the Global Times on Thursday at the event that the global green transition requires the strong commitment of China, "and this is what we are seeing, not only at the current COP29."

Oehms stressed that German companies possess advanced technologies that can significantly aid in the green transformation process, while also noting that China presents exceptional market opportunities for these innovations.