2nd Meeting of the German Local Business Advisory Council hosted in Shanghai

Group Photo of the Participants at the 2nd Meeting of the German Local Business Advisory Council
Group Photo of the Participants at the 2nd Meeting of the German Local Business Advisory Council

The German Local Business Advisory Council of the Sino-German Energy Partnership convened for the second time this year on October 17 in Shanghai. The Meeting was hosted by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) and the German Consulate General, organized by GIZ and supported by the German Chamber of Commerce (AHK). It serves as an important venue for German energy businesses to gather and regularly engage in a business-to-government dialogue on the most recent developments and market access barriers in China’s energy sector. The German Local Business Advisory Council was established under the framework of the Sino-German Energy Partnership and had its first meeting on May 3, 2018, in Beijing.

Among the 30 participants were German government delegates, German industry and trade representatives, energy consultants and trade promotion agencies. The closed-door meeting began with a brief welcome note from the Deputy Consul General and Head of Economic Department of the German Consulate General, Ms. Claudia Spahl, who outlined the importance and necessity for continued trade ties between both countries, especially in times of economic uncertainty and a looming trade war between the US and China. Thorsten Herdan, Director General (DG) of BMWi, followed with a short briefing on recent developments and concerns in Germany such as China’s attempt to invest in critical German grid infrastructure, the importance of globally phasing-out coal and the role of digitalization in future energy systems.

Next, Ms. Yuxia Yin, project director of the Sino-German Energy Partnership, resumed the results and progress made since the 1st Meeting Local Business Advisory Council in May 2018. The presentation concluded with an agreement on several short- and long-term measures that could be realized through the Sino-German Energy Partnership and that could support German companies in overcoming existent market barriers. During the following discussions, companies discussed further challenges and opportunities in the Chinese energy sector and from the China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

In his concluding remarks, DG Herdan thanked the council members for a fruitful dialogue from which a clearer picture of the situation of the energy situation and market barriers in China had emerged, and announced the forthcoming Sino-German Energy Day, which is planned for 2019. The results of the Local Business Advisory Council serve as important input to the annual Working Group Meeting on Energy between BMWi and the National Administration on Energy (NEA). The last meeting took place October 19 in Suzhou.

Previous to the Local Business Advisory Council, the BMWi delegation visited a successful Sino-German cooperation project which showcases a state of the art and highly efficient air compression system in the Chinese aluminum foil industry. Together with the German technology supplier and the Chinese customer, the German delegation discussed not only the innovative technological solution, but also the business model as well as the economic environment for German enterprises doing business in China.

For more information, please contact melisande.liu(at)giz.de.

Mr. Thorsten Herdan, Director General of BMWi Giving his Welcome Speech

Mr. Thorsten Herdan, Director General of BMWi Giving his Welcome Speech

Mr. Thorsten Herdan, Director General of BMWi Giving his Welcome Speech

Ms. Claudia Spahl, Deputy Consul General and Head of Economic Department of the German Consulate General in Shanghai

Ms. Claudia Spahl, Deputy Consul General and Head of Economic Department of the German Consulate General in Shanghai

Ms. Claudia Spahl, Deputy Consul General and Head of Economic Department of the German Consulate General in Shanghai

Ms. YIN Yuxia, Director of Sino-German Energy Partnership Introducing the Results and Progress

Ms. YIN Yuxia, Director of Sino-German Energy Partnership Introducing the Results and Progress

Ms. YIN Yuxia, Director of Sino-German Energy Partnership Introducing the Results and Progress

German Business Representatives

German Business Representatives

German Business Representatives

German Business Representatives Presenting at the Meeting

German Business Representatives Presenting at the Meeting

German Business Representatives Presenting at the Meeting

German Business Representatives Presenting at the Meeting

German Business Representatives Presenting at the Meeting

German Business Representatives Presenting at the Meeting

Short- and Long-term Measures Suggested by Sino-German Energy Partnership

Short- and Long-term Measures Suggested by Sino-German Energy Partnership

Short- and Long-term Measures Suggested by Sino-German Energy Partnership

Site Visit of the Sino-German Cooperation Project in the Chinese Aluminum Foil Plant

Site Visit of the Sino-German Cooperation Project in the Chinese Aluminum Foil Plant

Site Visit of the Sino-German Cooperation Project in the Chinese Aluminum Foil Plant

Mr. Thorsten Herdan, Director General of BMWi during the Site Visit

Mr. Thorsten Herdan, Director General of BMWi during the Site Visit

Mr. Thorsten Herdan, Director General of BMWi during the Site Visit

Mr. Thorsten Herdan, Director General of BMWi during the Site Visit

Mr. Thorsten Herdan, Director General of BMWi during the Site Visit

Mr. Thorsten Herdan, Director General of BMWi during the Site Visit