To deepen exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and German small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Tang Huihao, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Statistics, led a delegation to visit the Berlin headquarters of the German Federal Association for Small and Medium-sized Businesses (BVMW) on the 11th. The delegation held in-depth talks with Mr. Friedemann Hoefig, Authorized Representative of BVMW, and Ms. Liu Yin, Chief Representative of the BVMW Shandong Representative Office. Both sides engaged in thorough exchanges and discussions centered on the core theme of “Cross-Border Expansion and Digital Transformation for SMEs.”
During the talks, Deputy Director Tang Huihao fully affirmed the vitality and contributions of SMEs in the field of innovation. He pointed out, “In the innovation sector, ‘small but beautiful’ enterprises demonstrate strong development momentum.” He emphasized that Shanghai, as a vital economic center in China, places high importance on creating a favorable development environment for SMEs and looks forward to collaborating with the German side to jointly promote mutually beneficial and common development for SMEs of both countries.
Mr. Friedemann Hoefig expressed deep agreement. He stated that SMEs are the new force in technological R&D and pacesetters in innovation-driven development, possessing enormous growth potential. Mr. Hoefig stressed that BVMW is always committed to serving its member enterprises and promoting their internationalization. He stated, “China is a stable market full of opportunities,” and affirmed that BVMW will continue to drive cooperation with the Chinese market.
In light of the current international environment and the development status of SMEs, both sides unanimously expressed their intention to build upon the profound trust established over the long term between SMEs of the two countries and to further strengthen communication and collaboration. The core objective is to pragmatically facilitate the entry of German and Shanghai SMEs into each other’s markets, explore more cooperative opportunities, and achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.
Ms. Liu Yin shared her observations on Sino-German economic and trade relations during the talks. She stated, "Chinese and German SMEs have complementary strengths in multiple aspects, presenting significant potential for cooperation." Leveraging BVMW's extensive network and resources cultivated in China over many years, coupled with China's continuously optimized business environment, she highlighted the vast space for future cooperation between the two sides.
As a concrete measure to advance cooperation, Ms. Liu Yin specifically introduced an upcoming major event: In September 2025, BVMW will jointly organize the “Future Day China” event in Qingdao with the China Council for the CCPIT Shandong. She emphasized that this event is not only an important trade promotion platform but also an excellent opportunity for SMEs to expand their international cooperation networks and achieve developmental advancement. The event is expected to provide a significant stage for deepening exchanges and exploring cooperation between Chinese and German SMEs.
This visit marks a more solid step taken by Shanghai and Germany in supporting SME development, particularly in promoting cross-border expansion and embracing digital transformation. Both sides expressed full confidence in the prospects for future cooperation and look forward to jointly writing a new chapter in Sino-German SME collaboration.