Multinational executives, business delegates seek China opportunities

TIANJIN, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Bernd Einmeier's recent visit to Tianjin, a port city in northern China, allowed him to see China's development and transformation firsthand.

"This is exactly what is important to me: to meet my Chinese friends, to learn from China, to take the best out of China and bring it to German society, and to talk in Germany about China's benefits and Chinese culture," said Einmeier, president of the German-Chinese Association for Economy, Education and Culture.

Einmeier was among more than 300 business representatives and other guests from over 30 countries and regions who participated in the 2026 Multinational Enterprises Visit to Tianjin last week.

Representing 240 companies, institutions and industry organizations, participants were divided into six groups to explore business opportunities during the three-day event. About 60 percent of the participating companies are Fortune Global 500 firms, hidden champions or industry leaders.

They visited industrial parks, businesses and port facilities, focusing on areas including advanced manufacturing, sustainable development, scientific and technological innovation, and international cooperation.

Amid global economic uncertainty, multinational companies increasingly seek stable markets, sound business environments, and opportunities for long-term cooperation.

China remains a key destination that offers these advantages. According to the Ministry of Commerce, China's foreign direct investment (FDI) equity stock reached 26.8 trillion yuan (about 4 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2025, ranking second globally and marking six consecutive years of growth.

One stop on the tour was Flender Ltd., China. Established in Tianjin in 1996 by Germany's Flender, it now operates 19 sales, maintenance and service branches across China.

After learning about the company's expansion in China, Larissa Einmeier, project manager at ThinkTank Networks GmbH & Co. KG, said China's rapid development offers abundant opportunities and considerable room for cooperation between German and Chinese businesses.

Milton Isidoro, branch manager at VTXRM Chengdu, said his company has operated in China for roughly 10 years and he hopes to explore further opportunities in Tianjin.

"There's a very big leasing market and financial market in Tianjin with a lot of companies," Isidoro said.

At a circular economy demonstration base operated by the China Resources Recycling Group, industrial materials that had completed their original service life are recycled and reused.

Rolf Demmler, general manager of the China branch of the German Sustainable Building Council, spent a long time studying a diagram illustrating the circulation of resources.

"I could see China's determination to promote resource recycling and develop a greener economy," Demmler said.

China and Germany have considerable potential to cooperate in green industries and sustainable development, he added, noting that the two sides could strengthen exchanges in technology and expertise and pursue joint projects to promote the practical application of green technologies.

In recent years, China has accelerated breakthroughs in fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), continued to attract innovation resources, and strengthened its technological capabilities, drawing growing interest from international partners.

Jordina Torrents Barrena, senior AI manager and principal AI architect at HP Inc., was impressed by the spirit of innovation in China.

"What is impressive here is not only the hardware, but also the software," Barrena said, adding that countries should emphasize collaboration in technology development.

Peter Tensen, founder & CEO of GlobalTech IP, brought two delegations to Tianjin, one focused on robotics and the other on AI-driven healthcare and life sciences.

"We look forward to identifying the right partners here and combining international technologies with local industrial demand and research capabilities to turn more ideas into practical projects," Tensen said.

The event saw the signing of a number of new foreign-invested projects. Multinational companies stepped up investment in areas like high-end manufacturing and biomedicine.

Framework agreements on international trade and supply chain cooperation were also signed, while a number of major projects in energy, infrastructure and the circular economy under the Belt and Road Initiative were launched.

"China's pace of development and vitality are astonishing," said Kurucz Erika, sales director at PraziTech Kft. from Hungary, who visited China for the first time. "I have seen unlimited possibilities. The door to cooperation is certainly open."