20 Years of Bremen in China
Success storiesBremeninvest strengthens German-Chinese economic ties
The Bremeninvest office opened its doors in Shanghai two decades ago. As the international brand of the WFB Wirtschaftsförderung Bremen GmbH, Bremeninvest had set itself the goals of reinforcing the economic links between Bremen and China and inspiring Chinese businesses to consider relocating to Bremen. Since then, more than 150 companies have set up premises in the Hanseatic city. This anniversary has been celebrated at this year's "transport logistic" international logistics fair in Shanghai.
Andreas Heyer, Chair of the WFB Board of Management, sees a positive result of the presence of Bremeninvest in China: "We can look back on 20 years of successful cooperation with our local partners. Thanks to its reputation as a powerful international commercial and trading centre, Bremen attracted the interest of Chinese businesses from the very start."
Via its Shanghai office, Bremeninvest has helped bring about up to a dozen company relocations every year, as a long-term average. Around half of the companies that have set up in Bremen have succeeded in establishing themselves in the market in the long-term. Heyer went on to say, "These are extremely good figures and not only a testament to the outstanding quality of our work with local partners but also to the excellent overall conditions that make Bremen attractive in the Far East". Today, and thanks to the support given by Bremeninvest, around 150 Chinese companies have established themselves securely in Bremen.
In the early 2000s, it was primarily sales offices and warehouses that Chinese companies opened in Bremen. However, the profile of relocating businesses has changed over the years. Increasingly, the businesses that come to Bremen want to enter into strategic partnerships with German companies working in the high tech sector. This includes companies involved in hydrogen applications and manufacturers of sensors, electric motors, electronic components and medical products.
"Bremen still scores highly because of its expertise in logistics. Goods that arrive in the Hanseatic city via its ports can be processed efficiently in the network of logistics centres and quickly dispatched to their destinations in Germany and Northern Europe. Chinese companies really appreciate this. On the other hand, the close-knit relationship between science and high tech companies is also extremely interesting and offers a multitude points at which contacts can be made. China is no longer merely Europe's workshop", said Heyer.
And to reflect this trend, the WFB, with its international brand Bremeninvest, has continuously expanded its activities in China over the years. As a result, the China office is now primarily active in the economic powerhouse regions of the Yangtze Delta (Shanghai, Hangzhou), the Pearl River Delta (Shenzhen, Guangzhou) and Beijing.
Lu Wang has led the Shanghai office, as its Director, since 2008. She has always been well-supported in her activities by the Bremen WFB head office. Alongside meetings with companies, Wang also organises participation in trade fairs, information events and delegation trips such as the current joint visit by the BLG Logistics Group AG & Co. KG, EUROGATE GmbH & Co. KGaA KG and bremenports GmbH & Co. KG to the "transport logistic China" trade fair which was held between the 25th and 27th of June 2024. Bremeninvest's anniversary was celebrated there at a reception for invited guests from Bremen's logistics sector and representatives from China's worlds of politics and the business.
Since 2014, Bremeninvest has used an office-in-office solution at the Bremen trading house C. Melchers GmbH & Co. KG. as its premises in China. As Heyer said, "We really benefit from this access to the company's network and we work extremely well together". This also includes the close working relationship with the Chinese Chamber of International Commerce, Germany Trade & Invest (the German federal office for promoting international trade) and the CCPIT (China Council for the Promotion of International Trade).
In addition to these economic relationships, Bremen is also attracting greater interest as a tourism destination for local people. In June 2024, Bremeninvest's Managing Director, Oliver Rau, travelled to China together with representatives from the German National Tourist Board to investigate further opportunities for the tourism sector. The well-established Twin City partnership between Bremen and the northern Chinese city of Dalian, which includes regular exchange visits and joint events, is an important building block in Bremen-Chinese relationships.
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