Category: News


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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visits the plant of Siemens Energy in Qiantang district, Hangzhou. [Photo/Siemens Energy]

When German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Hangzhou on Feb 26 during his visit to China, he saw more than the city's iconic West Lake. Stops at Unitree Robotics and Siemens Energy underscored Hangzhou's growing role as a bridgehead for China-Germany collaboration in advanced manufacturing and AI.

Siemens Energy, which began investing in Hangzhou in 1995, has expanded multiple times over the past three decades. Its local facility has evolved from a regional manufacturing base into a crucial player in the company's global production network. To date, Germany has invested in 322 projects in Hangzhou, totaling 1.75 billion yuan ($254.6 million), including 26 projects by 13 German Fortune Global 500 firms.

Over the past two years, several landmark German investments have further deepened ties. Humanoid robotics firm Neura Robotics established its China headquarters in Hangzhou's Xiaoshan district with a registered capital of 45 million euros ($53 million). German family-owned ERWO Group launched a robotics venture in the city. Meanwhile, a team from RWTH Aachen University set up a tech startup in Yuhang, reflecting confidence in Hangzhou's innovation ecosystem.

Beyond Hangzhou, German enterprises are expanding across Zhejiang province, from industrial cooperation parks in Jiaxing to supply chain partnerships in Ningbo. In 2025, the import and export volume of German-funded enterprises in Zhejiang rose 15.4 percent year-on-year, outpacing overall foreign-invested enterprise growth in the province.

Analysts say the cooperation model is evolving from "German technology in the Chinese market" to two-way innovation and value co-creation. As Merz concluded his Hangzhou visit, the city stood out not only as the home of digital giants, but as an emerging hub of Sino-German hard-tech partnership.

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The China headquarters of Neura Robotics, Germany's only humanoid robotics firm, lands in Xiaoshan district, Hangzhou. [Photo/WeChat account: xiaoshanfabu]

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