Exhibition organizer heaps big praise on domestic companies

HANNOVER, Germany — Chinese companies "are more and more innovative", the organizer of this year's Hannover Messe told Xinhua News Agency, expressing his hope of expanding trade with China in the future.

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua during the leading annual industrial trade fair in Germany, Jochen Koeckler, chairman of the managing board of the organizer Deutsche Messe AG, said he was "very happy to have many exhibitors from China".

Established in 1947, the Hannover Messe this year was held from April 22-26, with Chinese exhibitors accounting for 30 percent of almost 4,000 exhibitors from around 60 countries and regions, second only to Germany.

This year's theme — "Energizing A Sustainable Industry" — reflects the proactive role of Chinese companies in the global innovation arena, Koeckler said.

He recalled that 20 years ago, Hannover Messe was more of "a trade show only for components "where exhibitors sought buyers, while today, visitors have problems that need exhibitors to solve. "Chinese exhibitors, like all exhibitors, are more and more in solution-oriented topics for automation."

As climate change has become a concern in recent years, energy transformation is a key topic of Hannover Messe 2024, where more than 500 exhibitors from the hydrogen and fuel cell industry presented energy solution innovations.

An advocate for the transition toward fully renewable energy production, Koeckler noted China's strides in green transformation.

"I visit China every year, and I am really impressed that you have a clear plan to reduce CO2 emissions," he said.

During his recent visit, he stayed in Shanghai for a week and was impressed by a noticeable reduction in air pollution and the prevalence of electric vehicles.

"Yes, you see it's less pollution in the air. Then, there I see very good progress," he said.

China represents a colossal market and Hannover Messe can serve as a pivotal platform for Chinese exhibitors to cultivate partnerships and expand their global reach, Koeckler said.

For eight consecutive years, China has been Germany's largest trading partner, with two-way trade soaring to over 200 billion euros ($214 billion) in 2023.

"From our point of view, we would love it if the Chinese participation would enlarge in the size of the booths and then we have this global marketplace for supply and demand," he said.

Referring to China as "a huge economy with a good development looking on prosperity", Koeckler emphasized win-win cooperation between Germany and China, and the importance of free and fair exchange of ideas and goods.

"That is what happened at the exhibition," he said.

Xinhua