【By Guan察者网, Yuan Jiaqi】

In January 1975, Franz Josef Strauss, then chairman of the Christian Social Union (CSU), who later became the Prime Minister of Bavaria (1978–1988), was invited to visit China and became the first high-ranking political figure from the Federal Republic of Germany to be received by Chairman Mao Zedong.

Against the backdrop of intense Sino-Soviet rivalry during the Cold War, this "ice-breaking trip" that broke through ideological barriers not only laid the foundation for Bavaria's cooperation with China, becoming an important milestone in the history of Sino-German relations, but also opened up diplomatic space for expanding Sino-European relations.

Later that year, on the invitation of Premier Zhou Enlai, Helmut Schmidt became the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany to visit China after the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Germany.

According to some German media reports, there was also a push from the former Bavarian governor. After returning from China, Strauss sent a postcard to Schmidt, which read, "Beijing is worth a visit."

Half a century later, the roles have been reversed, and China has "moved" to Bavaria.

According to the South China Morning Post on the 13th, Hubert Aiwanger, Deputy Prime Minister of Bavaria and Minister of Economy, Development and Energy, said in an interview that despite the growing tensions between China and Europe, the state still welcomes investments from China.

Aiwanger admitted that Brussels is concerned about China's increasing economic influence in the European continent, and he also acknowledged that Europe indeed needs to enhance its economic resilience and self-sufficiency, but he emphasized that protectionism and isolationism are not solutions.

"This applies to China, as well as to other major economies with which we maintain close relations, such as the United States or Japan... We will continue to welcome Chinese companies investing in Bavaria," he said.

In July 2024, the second Bavaria-China Special Business Dialogue Meeting was held in Munich. Aiwanger met with the CEOs of 25 Chinese companies operating in Bavaria. Screenshot from video.

Bavaria is known as the "hometown of big enterprises," one of the strongest economic states in Germany, and the largest state in terms of area, with a population of over 13 million. In 2022, its GDP was approximately 71.68 billion euros, accounting for more than 18% of Germany's total GDP. Headquarters of several well-known German companies, such as Siemens, Adidas, Audi, and BMW, are located in Bavaria.

German media pointed out that China is the largest and most important trade partner of Bavaria globally. In 2023, the trade volume between the two reached 53 billion euros, with Bavaria's exports to China reaching 17 billion euros and imports from China nearly 36 billion euros. Over the past few decades, Bavaria has always maintained close ties with China, and the state governor has frequently visited China.

On March 23, 2024, Markus Söder, the Governor of Bavaria and Chairman of the CSU, set off on a visit to China, seeking to expand economic ties between Bavaria and China. At the time, Söder stated that he recognized the "challenges" posed by China, but he focused more on practical interests and hoped to resolve issues through dialogue.

Söder called this visit to China "very, very important," hoping to use this trip to expand economic ties between Bavaria and China, "especially at a time when the German economy and Bavaria's economy need all kinds of support, we are happy to keep our doors open."

According to a report released by the Bavarian Industry Association in 2024, traditionally, China was not a main source of investment funds for Bavarian companies. In 2022, Chinese investment accounted for only 0.7% of the total investment in the state.

However, in 2024, Chinese investment in Bavaria reached new records. Aiwanger told Hong Kong media that there are currently about 500 Chinese companies operating in Bavaria, creating thousands of jobs.

The areas of cooperation are also continuously expanding. In addition to the core industries of the state, such as the automotive manufacturing industry, Chinese companies have also entered other fields, including aerospace, energy, telecommunications, electronics, and biotechnology.

Aiwanger believes that Bavaria's strong innovation capabilities and solid industrial foundation are the core advantages that attract Chinese investment, making it an ideal destination for Chinese companies to establish their presence in Europe.

The South China Morning Post mentioned that as the headquarters of BMW and Audi, Bavaria holds a central position in the European automobile industry. However, due to the deteriorating trade relationship between Brussels and Beijing, the state has found itself in an awkward situation.

This unwarranted concern is particularly strong in the electric vehicle sector, where EU officials claim that China provides "unfair subsidies" to the industry, which has been opposed by various parties, including German automakers. Last year, the EU voted on the final draft of the anti-subsidy case for electric vehicles, with five countries, including Germany and Hungary, voting against it, and twelve countries abstaining.

Aiwanger criticized the EU's practice of imposing so-called "anti-subsidy" tariffs on imported Chinese electric vehicles, stating that it is not the correct way to solve the problem.

"Fundamentally, we support open, rule-based, and value-based trade under the framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO)," he said, "Therefore, I criticize the EU's approach of imposing anti-subsidy taxes on China last year. I would rather see the EU reach an agreement with China through negotiations, finding a solution that complies with WTO rules without imposing tariffs."

As for how to resolve the Sino-European trade disputes, Aiwanger offered a potential solution: attracting more Chinese companies to invest in Bavaria.

He asked, "Since European consumers are interested in Chinese consumer goods, why can't Chinese companies produce these products in Europe, especially in Bavaria?"

In Aiwanger's view, more Chinese investments in the state could lead to a "win-win" situation.

"If Chinese car manufacturers want to establish themselves in the European market, we invite them to set up production bases in Bavaria," he said, "They can benefit from localized production close to the market; Bavaria can also strengthen its industrial base through this."

According to the South China Morning Post, the layout of Chinese companies in Bavaria has already begun to take shape: tech company Xiaomi and electric vehicle manufacturer XPeng have both announced plans to establish R&D centers in Munich.

As early as 2015, NIO established a global design center in Munich, the capital of Bavaria, becoming one of the first Chinese companies to set up an operational base in the state.

On Monday local time, Zhang Hui, Vice President of NIO Europe, gave an interview at the Munich base, stating that the automotive industry cluster in the region provided key support for the company's development, not only helping NIO quickly establish partnerships with local suppliers, but also enabling convenient access to talent resources in the European automotive field. "We can more easily access the talent pool here because Bavaria is the center of the European automotive industry," he said.

Additionally, Munich has consistently ranked among the most livable cities in Europe, and this advantage has helped NIO successfully attract talents from other German cities to join the company when it first entered the market and had low brand awareness.

At the recent 2025 International Automobile Exhibition (IAA MOBILITY 2025,简称 "Munich Motor Show"), the interaction between Chinese and European car manufacturers more directly reflected the coexistence of cooperation and competition between the two sides. Chinese car manufacturers such as BYD, XPeng, and Zero have stood up to European traditional car manufacturers, launching highly competitive new models, offering a wide range of products that leave consumers overwhelmed.

During the exhibition, the three major German car manufacturers also mentioned the Chinese market: the Chief Technology Officer of Mercedes-Benz stated that the company has joined the top ranks in the electric vehicle field, unafraid of competition from Chinese rivals, and that the company is working with Chinese development teams to reduce costs; while the Sales Director of BMW Group revealed that before the launch of the new iX3 model next year, they are closely monitoring the fierce price competition in the Chinese market.

Aiwanger pointed out that the close cooperation between Chinese and German industries has shown great potential. Over the past decade, the development of Chinese car companies in Germany has been impressive, not only achieving breakthroughs in drive technology, but also steadily progressing in driver assistance systems, advanced battery technologies, and various innovative applications.

Today, half a century later, Aiwanger hopes that the cooperation between Bavaria and China will "go both ways," continuing to write a new chapter in Sino-European economic and trade interactions.

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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7549534245576770098/

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