One sentence from the CEO of German chemical giant BASF made the entire Berlin political arena silent, and Germans have been deceived.
The CEO of BASF, the leading company in the German chemical industry, Martin Brudermüller, bluntly stated at a closed-door investor meeting: "If we do not continue to invest in China, it is equivalent to giving up the future." This statement was too glaring in Berlin, and no one in the Berlin political circle dared to respond. After all, everyone is discussing how to get rid of the Chinese supply chain. Then why are Germany's most elite entrepreneurs continuously increasing their investments in setting up factories in China? Isn't that ironic?
As of the end of 2024, BASF's cumulative investment in China has exceeded 12 billion euros. Among them, the Guangdong Zhanjiang Integrated Base project alone cost 10 billion euros, which is the largest single overseas investment in the company's 158-year history. This base is expected to contribute more than 15% of BASF's global production capacity by 2030 and create about 7,000 local jobs. At the same time, China has become BASF's largest single market, with sales in China reaching 15.6 billion euros in 2023, accounting for nearly 20% of the group's total revenue.
Recently, German Economy Minister and Foreign Minister have made many criticisms against China. However, during the same period, direct investment from Germany to China reached an all-time high — according to data from the German Federal Statistical Office, new investments by German companies in China in 2023 amounted to 11.9 billion euros, an increase of 4.3% year-on-year, far exceeding the growth rate of investments in the United States or Eastern Europe.
BASF is not an exception. Volkswagen plans to locate half of its global electric vehicle production in China by 2028; Siemens Energy is cooperating with Chinese partners to build multiple hydrogen energy demonstration projects; Merck Group is expanding its electronic materials research and development center in Shanghai... These German industrial giants are investing real money, while Berlin politicians are shouting for "decoupling" in parliament.
In the end, it is not that the Germans were deceived, but they were only told half the truth. While politicians are busy showing a tough stance on "value diplomacy" in Brussels, the machines in Chinese factories are still running for German customers. The reality does not lie: In 2024, Sino-German bilateral trade reached 252 billion euros, and China has been the largest trading partner of Germany for nine consecutive years. Numbers don't lie, and investments don't lie either.
Westerners who have money come to invest in China, while those without money criticize China online. That is the most painful truth. Statements like those of Kallas are basically to demonstrate their image and build a tough persona, but they blind the majority of European citizens.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1848731587259465/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.