China and Germany Jointly Empower “Her Power”: BVMW Representative Office in Shandong, China Invited to International Workshop on Women Entrepreneurship Empowerment

As the global economic landscape evolves, female entrepreneurs are becoming a key driving force for innovation and sustainable growth in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).From March 23rd to 27th, the "Women Entrepreneurship Empowerment (WEE)" international workshop, jointly organized by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the UNESCO International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education (INRULED), was held in Beijing.

Ms. Liu Yin, representative of the BVMW (German Association for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) Shandong Representative Office, was invited to attend the "Market & Power" theme day and participated in the "Private Sector Engagement – Women-Centered Trade Alignment" lab. The session aimed to build a communication bridge between Chinese and German SMEs in the fields of agriculture and trade, exploring pathways for upgrading female leadership within international value chains.

During the workshop, Ms. Liu Yin, together with Ms. Laura Günther, Managing Partner at Hanlian Imp. & Exp. (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., shared insights on German market entry logic with delegates from Cambodia, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.Ms. Liu Yin pointed out that while German SMEs' demand for high-quality Asian agricultural and processed products is growing, "market access" is not limited to mere certification. Rather, it is about aligning the meticulousness and resilience of female entrepreneurs with the rigorous supply chain standards of the German market.

In the "Trade Lab" session, the BVMW Shandong Representative Office leveraged its role as a Sino-German economic and trade hub to provide a deep analysis of Chinese SMEs' experiences (particularly those from the major agricultural province of Shandong) in digital upgrading and international branding. This offered a valuable "China Model" for female entrepreneurs from Southeast and Central Asian countries.

The workshop will continue until the 27th, followed by a field visit to the Little Donkey Citizen Farm to explore new paradigms for female employment driven by Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).

The BVMW Shandong Representative Office will continue to follow up on the cooperation intentions reached during this meeting, promoting the implementation of subsequent projects in Shandong and beyond.