5

6 Foreword

German Chamber of Commerce in China8 About us9 Interviews with the Chairpersons12 Chamber Boards and Chamber Teams

Membership16 Membership Statistics18 Membership Benefits and Services 19 Financials 20 Friends of the Chamber22 Advocacy Engagement 23 GCC in the Press24 Publications

GCC Surveys26 Business Confidence Survey 2018/1927 Labor Market & Salary Report 2018/1928 Innovation Survey 2018

Chamber Activities30 Advocacy and Government Affairs

Meeting Highlights 32 Main Delegation Visits34 Overview of All Events 201836 Chamber Meetings Shanghai45 Workshop Leaders46 Workshops and Events70 Forums and Event Highlights76 Highlights in Recruitment and Training & Dual Vocational Training78 Social Responsibility82 21st German Ball84 Social Events85 Imprint

CONTENT

76

The German Chamber of Commerce in China looks back to an eventful and prosperous year 2018: Our members elected new boards of directors China-wide, new delegates assumed their roles in Beijing and Guangzhou and 228 new members contributed to a strong and diverse network of 2,302 members in mainland China.

Again, the last year, was one of close Sino-German cooperation in business and politics. We, the German Chamber organization, were able to leave a remarkable footprint in this exchange. During the visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Shenzhen in May, we had set up our first AHK Innovation Hub in China. During the 1st China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai in November, the Chamber was honored of being appointed by the German Ministry of Economics to coordinate the German “Guest of Honor” participation on state and company level at the fair with 170 German companies participating. When German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier led a high-level delegation to China in December, we were able to organize an entrepreneurial roundtable as well as display our vocational training projects in South China.

As it is our vision to create the best possible business environment for you – our members – in China, we have focused on further strengthening advocacy work. We have intensified our government relations activities with more than 160 meetings on Chinese central, provincial and local government level. Furthermore, we had enhanced our press work with press releases, interviews, and statements in around 120 exchanges with Chinese and foreign media outlets. By conducting our annual Business Confidence Survey, we have supported you to make your voice heard when it comes to improving business sentiments of German companies in China. For the first time, the results of the Business Confidence Survey were presented by all three Chairpersons at a joint press conference in Beijing.

To support our members in this dynamic and complex Chinese business environment, we provided over 400 events all over mainland China. Hereby creating plenty of opportunities to gain up-to-date and exclusive insights on specific China-topics by top leaders and industry experts. Next to many practical workshops and seminars, we hosted an array of high-level events, such as the

Kammerdinner to welcome the new German Ambassador to China, Dr. Clemens von Goetze, the March Chamber Meeting in Shanghai, with Mr. Joerg Wuttke, Vice President and Chief Representative BASF and former President of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China as keynote speaker, or the Greater Bay Area Conference in Shenzhen with DIHK-President Dr. Eric Schweitzer. We also followed ambitiously our goal, to get German companies connected with the Chinese start-up scene and to foster the environment to bring together innovative entrepreneurs and ideas of both sides. For this purpose, we had implemented new event formats China-wide, such as Start-Up Days in Shenzhen, Shanghai and Beijing. Social highlights for the German communities all over China were once again our flagship events: the German Balls, the German Soccer Championships as well as the Discover Germany festivals.

Since we are proud of the responsible and sustainable corporate management of German companies here in China, we have further developed our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative “More than a Market”. Like in the past three years, we have organized the initiative’s Awards Gala in Shanghai under the patronage of Mrs. Liz Mohn, Chairwoman of the Bertelsmann Stiftung. A record of 100 CSR projects were submitted by German companies. We will continue to strongly support our members’ commitment to grow roots in Chinese society. Furthermore, the network Wirtschaftsjunioren, a platform for young and innovative entrepreneurs, business leaders and visionaries, had been founded in Beijing last year. Finally, driving forward digitalization in our organization resulted in the launch of official German Chamber WeChat accounts, a new website with a fully responsive web design, and a new CRM and event planning tool.

For 2019, we strive to focus even more on your needs and help you create value through your membership with us. We will look at new types of event formats, new communication content, new ways of advancing with our advocacy. We invite you to utilize our network to keep your business in China growing. Our success would be impossible without your commitment and involvement. Yours truly,

FOREWORD

Dear Members and Friends,

Maximilian ButekExecutive Director of the German Chamber ofCommerce in China | South & Southwest ChinaDelegation of German Industry & Commerce,GuangzhouDelegate & Chief Representative

Simone PohlExecutive Director of the German Chamber of Com-merce in China | ShanghaiDelegation of German Industry & Commerce, ShanghaiDelegate & Chief Representative

GERMAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN CHINAThe German Chamber of Commerce in China, as part of the worldwide AHK network, caters to the needs of more than 2,300 member companies. We represent our members’ interests towards government bodies and the public to make their voice heard and to create the best possible business environment for them. With various events, we provide up-to-date information about specific China-topics and shape a strong platform for the Sino-German business community.

Jens Hildebrandt Executive Director of the German Chamber ofCommerce in China | North ChinaDelegation of German Industry & Commerce, BeijingDelegate & Chief Representative

German Chamber of Commerce in ChinaGerman Chamber of Commerce in China

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ANNUAL REPORT 2018

INTERVIEWS WITH THE CHAIRPERSONS

ABOUT US

AHK Greater China is part of the German Chambers of Commerce Worldwide Network (AHK) which includes 140 offices in 92 countries. The AHK's history in Greater China stretches back to 1981, when the first office was opened in Taipei. With our five main offices and seven supporting offices in Greater China and Germany, we focus on trade and investment between these two regions. We also support our nearly 2,800 members' business interests through the comprehensive services provided by our business and investment, and membership platforms.

Official Representation The Delegations of German Industry & Commerce in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, German Industry & Commerce Ltd. in Hong Kong, and German Trade Office Taipei officially represent the Association of German Chambers of Industry & Commerce in Greater China. On behalf of the Federal Republic of Germany, they represent the overall economic interests of Germany and focus on the promotion of bilateral trade and investment between Germany and Greater China. Additionally, through the Delegation, the German Chamber Network in Greater China is in close contact with the Chinese government and supports political delegations on their visits to China.

Member Organization The German Chamber of Commerce in China is the official member organization, which represents German companies doing business in China. The German Chamber helps its members succeed by providing up-to-date market information and practical advice. It offers a platform for the Sino-German business community and represents its members’ interests towards stakeholders, including governmental and public stakeholders. The Chamber was founded in 1999 and currently has more than 2,300 members in mainland China.

Service ProviderGerman Industry & Commerce (Taicang) Ltd. for Mainland China, German Industry & Commerce Ltd. for Hong Kong and DEinternational Taiwan Ltd. are the service branches of the German Chamber Network in Greater China. Under the umbrella of German Industry and Commerce Greater China and via the global brand DEinternational, the GIC branches offer companies uniformly consistent and extensive services throughout the Greater China region – with the high level of quality guaranteed by the German Chamber Network. For SMEs in particular, this translates to customer focus, market expertise as well as transparency and usefulness of the worldwide network of German Chambers.

How would you briefly summarize the year 2018? It was an eventful year, for some of us challenging, showing us how closely connected global trade is, and that it affects every market player and consumer worldwide. After a very dynamic, almost euphoric growth phase in China in recent years, the development reached a New Normal. This is also reflected in the slowing numbers of the GDP growth. The development of the trade conflict and the corresponding effects on the economy remain a source of uncertainty.

What were the highlights and main achievements your region and the Chamber celebrated last year?With a newly elected Board and the new Chamber’s Executive Director, Jens Hildebrandt, we started to shape the Chamber’s future. With about 180 events we offered plenty of opportunities for our members to access latest business information as well as to network and mingle. Also, our regional offices in Tianjin and Shenyang contributed to these accomplishments. The German Soccer Tournaments in Beijing and Tianjin, and the 18th German Ball attracted around 2,400 guests.

The 11th edition of our Business Confidence Survey was a success: We redesigned the survey to sharpen the Chamber’s advocacy engagement and for the first time, results were presented by all three Chairpersons at a joint press conference in Beijing.

In November 2018, we were the only foreign chamber to host a tax information event with the National Tax Authorities. Looking ahead, we are aiming to facilitate the exchange between Chinese authorities and our members, sharing relevant information and pooling the needs of German businesses.

Which opportunities and challenges will German companies face in China in 2019?Much will depend on the development of the trade conflict and how China will deal with the slowdown of its economy. China is not only Germany‘s most important trading partner, but also plays a key role for many companies – worldwide. The majority of German companies in China are expecting stable growth rates. However, the optimism is no longer as enthusiastic as it has been in recent years. Recent announcements of the government on stipulating measures to support the economic development indicate however, that China is determined to ensure a stable economic environment in 2019.

China is a unique market, looking at how much time people spend online. This clearly represents business opportunities. The dynamic development in the areas of NEVs, learning algorithms, AI, Smart Cities and Smart Manufacturing are the future trends and strategic topics for businesses.

What are your goals and vision for the Chamber in 2019?In 2019, the Chamber will boost its member services with new event formats and up-to-date information. We will work on further strengthening the cooperation between the three German Chambers in China as well as with the European Chamber, enhancing our press work, plus focus on further strengthening our advocacy engagement. You may follow our WeChat channel to get the latest updates on recent policy changes, our government meetings, upcoming events or members’ announcements.

Additionally, we aim to further facilitate the cooperation of German and Chinese companies. Domestic companies have been getting much stronger over the years, and here lies a lot of potential for exchange and mutual benefit.

Could you share your personal remarks for our Chamber members? Exponential growth is not a given fact anymore in China, meaning as German industry we should focus more than ever on our competitiveness and strengths. I am a firm believer in strong brands, and fortunately ‘Made in Germany’ and ‘German engineering’ remain amongst the most powerful labels here. My clear task is to further enhance the foundations, prerequisites and networks supporting the German business case. Together with your – our members’ – relentless focus on the quality and innovativeness of products and services, I am convinced we will continue to have a powerful tool in China’s economic environment. By embracing the new challenges and opportunities that China has on offer, we can further leverage this position. Having concluded my first year as Chairman, my thanks go out to you – our members-, the Board, and our fantastic team. I am grateful for your trust, support, advice and dedicated work. Let us have more of this in the year of the pig, 2019!

Membership Development of the German Chamber of Commerce in China (2006-2018)

201020082006 2018201620142012

Dr. Stephan Wöllenstein,Chairperson GCC | North China

1300

2302

German Chamber of Commerce in ChinaGerman Chamber of Commerce in China

1110

ANNUAL REPORT 2018

How would you briefly summarize the year 2018? 2018 was a mixed bag. The first half saw the positive business trends from 2017 carry over into the next year, while the effects of tightening policies and escalating trade tensions with the US were felt in the second half. In sum, uncertainty and a gloomier business outlook dominated the market sentiment by the end of the year.

What were the highlights and main achievements your region and the Chamber celebrated last year?2018 saw the Chamber well involved in policy and government relations: Many meetings were held with provincial and local governments. With our monitoring of the business environment and your feedback gathered especially from the “Greater Shang-hai Innovation Survey” and the “Business Confidence Survey”, many of the discussions held with government authorities helped in drafting our recommendations. 2018 also saw us strengthen our media work, with press releases and holding more interviews.

Of course, we kept busy with another year filled with many events and activities. The Chamber organized 160 events with over 10,000 participants. Some examples: In February, we launched the German Chamber Shanghai’s official new WeChat account. It had over 2,400 followers by the end of 2018. The “More than a Market” initiative is in full swing and in May the third “More than a Market” awards ceremony was held in Shanghai, with a record 100 projects submitted. In November, a very special event took place for the first time. The “China International Import Exhibition” (CIIE) in Shanghai hosted 170 German companies and high-level delegations. Germany was one of the 12 guests of honor. As always, the “German Ball” in Shanghai was the high-light of the social calendar with over 1,200 guests celebrating a “Galactic Night”. Finally, our members elected a new board of directors in April.

Which opportunities and challenges will German companies face in China in 2019?China obviously faces a challenging 2019, with the markets fluc-tuating between uncertainty and hope. Our ”Business Confidence Survey”, conducted between August and October 2018, paints a similar picture: German companies in China will face a busi-ness climate characterized by subdued growth prospects and a challenging regulatory environment. Many challenges remain, including bureaucracy, administrative hurdles, legal uncertainty

coupled with an unclear regulatory framework, as well as slow and limited internet. Nevertheless, China remains an important market with good business opportunities.

On the plus side, China’s policymakers are expected to make even deeper cuts to taxes and fees and intensify efforts to promote market reforms, opening-up, intellectual property rights protec-tion and the private sector. This should help counter headwinds and improve investor confidence.

What are your goals and vision for the Chamber in 2019?Given the opportunities and challenges German companies are facing in China, it is important to have a sounding board to bundle their interests and make sure their needs are communicated to the right authorities. To ensure an exchange of ideas and access to the latest information, it is essential to offer expert workshops, round-tables and panels that focus on members’ most burning issues, such as market access, internet, cybersecurity and digitalization. The same applies to HR matters such as talent retention.

Germany and China are the most important trading partners on the Asian and European markets and relations are now closer than ever before. Building links between the German and Chinese economies and the relevant authorities is important in establish-ing trust, fostering business relationships, and ensuring support for German companies in China. The Chamber needs to be a driv-ing force in this dialogue.

Could you share your personal remarks for our Chamber members? Our goal is to support your needs and help your business grow in China. We want to add value and create a platform for constant sharing of ideas and information. We cannot do it without your support and your active participation in our workshops, roundta-bles and surveys. On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to thank you for the very productive cooperation, your commit-ment and your trust. We wish you a successful Year of the Pig and hope the opportunities will outweigh the challenges.

How would you briefly summarize the year 2018? 2018 was an exciting year with lots of changes, challenges and new opportunities. There was the concern of an VPN shutdown and the impact of the new cyber security law in the beginning of the year. In summer, the US tariffs posed questions of the inflictions for German business in a US-China trade conflict and the uncertainty of the effects of the new IIT law and social credit system filled many discussions. However, the German business community also explored new opportunities emerging from the proclamation of the Greater Bay Area as well as the draft of the new foreign investment law. All in all, according to our Business Confidence Survey most German companies achieved a positive outcome in China.

What were the highlights and main achievements your region and the Chamber celebrated last year?We successfully expanded our services and activities in Shen-zhen. With the move to a bigger office and the opening of the AHK Innovation Hub, the German Chamber puts a stronger focus on startups, innovation and new technologies. The highlight was the official inauguration by German Chancellor Angela Merkel in May. Several delegations of German industry and politics as well as member companies explored the innovation scene in Shenzhen since. The AHK Innovation Night in December offered a platform for our members and a German delegation to get insights into the innovation ecosystem of Shenzhen and to mingle with local start-ups, our colleagues of AHK Greater China and even our German headquarters.

Following the initiative of the Greater Bay Area, we worked closer with the German Chamber in Hong Kong and organized joint dele-gation trips and networking dinner for our members. When Dr. Eric Schweitzer, President of the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry, took part in our networking dinner, he also used his visit to agree with Guangdong governor Mr. Ma on a conference for German companies to explore investment oppor-tunities in South China. Following this meeting, the Greater Bay Area Conference was organized and took place in November with 1,000 participants.

Another highlight occurred just at the end of 2018: Next to our refaced website, new CRM and event tool and LinkedIn channel, we finally launched our own WeChat channel making it more conven-ient for our members to keep informed.

Which opportunities and challenges will German companies face in China in 2019?The policies of Made in China 2025, Belt and Road initiative and Greater Bay Area will continue to have a lasting effect on Chinese economic policies. There will be more new opportunities espe-cially for German companies in the high-tech sector. However, rising costs for labor and land might force companies to relocate to Tier-3 cities. I also believe there is an opportunity for German businesses to build stronger relations with Chinese authorities and enterprises to fill a void which the trade conflict between the US and China has created.

What are your goals and vision for the Chamber in 2019?In 2019, we aim to build stronger ties with Chinese companies in our region with the introduction of the new category of “Friend of the Chamber”. Local innovative and industry-leading compa-nies as well as long-term partners and trustworthy suppliers of our German member companies are invited to become part of the German Chamber network to create a beneficial and more diverse business platform at eye level.

Furthermore, we would like to surprise you with new innovative event formats that better cater your needs and interests.

Could you share your personal remarks for our Chamber members?On behalf of the whole Board of Directors, I would like to thank all members for their continuous support, confidence and trust. Your involvement and engagement in our surveys and activities are high-ly appreciated. The Chamber team and board are looking forward to making the year 2019 even more successful with and for you.

Ms. Bettina SchoenChairperson GCC | Shanghai

Mr. Ulf ReinhardtChairperson GCC | South & Southwest China

German Chamber of Commerce in ChinaGerman Chamber of Commerce in China

1312

ANNUAL REPORT 2018

CHAMBER BOARDS AND CHAMBER TEAMS

North China

Ms. Jana KumpfExecutive Chamber Manager+86-10-6539-6660kumpf.jana@bj.china.ahk.de

Ms. HUANG JessicaEvents Manager+86-10-6539-6663huang.jessica@bj.china.ahk.de

Ms. Johanna HeinzmannProject Manager+86-10-6539-6664heinzmann.johanna@bj.china.ahk.de

Ms. Kathrin WolfsgruberManager Business Development and Membership+86-10-6539-6661wolfsgruber.kathrin@bj.china.ahk.de

Ms. QI CuiyunProject Manager Membership Administration+86-10-6539-6662qi.cuiyun@bj.china.ahk.de

Ms. ZHANG XiaoleiRegional Manager Tianjin+86-22-5830-7962zhang.xiaolei@bj.china.ahk.de

Ms. SHAN TongProject Manager Tianjin+86-22-5830-7963shan.tong@bj.china.ahk.de

Mr. Jan Carl BlockRegional Manager Liaoning & Jilin+86-24-8111-3996block.jan@bj.china.ahk.de

Ms. HU ChaoranAssistant Project Manager Liaoning & Jilin+86-24-8111-3996hu.chaoran@bj.china.ahk.de

*GCC All-China Board Member *GCC All-China Board Member

Shanghai

Ms. Johanna SpeeRegional Manager Neighboring Provinces+86-21-3858-5056spee.johanna@sh.china.ahk.de

Ms. ZHU DaisyRegional Manager Shanghai+86-21-3858-5030zhu.jingjing@sh.china.ahk.de

Ms. CHEN YanJunior Project Manager Business Development & Membership+86-21-3858-5009chen.yan@sh.china.ahk.de

Ms. DU XiaolinProject Manager Membership+86-21-3858-5089du.xiaolin@sh.china.ahk.de

Mr. Nicolas HauptmannProject Manager Events+86-21-3858-5271hauptmann.nicolas@sh.china.ahk.de

Ms. QI JessicaProject Manager Events+86-21-3858-5050qi.jiaying@sh.china.ahk.de

Ms. CHEN XinyiProject Assistant Events+86-21-3858-5055chen.xinyi@sh.china.ahk.de

Ms. CHENG IdaJunior Project Manager Events+86-21-3858-5250cheng.songyun@sh.china.ahk.de

Dr. Sigrid WinklerExecutive Chamber Manager+86-21-5081-2266-1605winkler.sigrid@sh.china.ahk.de

Ms. Olivia HelvadjianSenior Communications Manager & Chief Editor+86-21-3858-5037helvadjian.olivia@sh.china.ahk.de

Ms. Jessica DownerEditor+86-21-3858-5075downer.jessica@sh.china.ahk.de

Ms. Elisabeth BauerProject Manager Social Responsibility+86-21-3858-5259bauer.elisabeth@sh.china.ahk.de

Ms. Bettina Schoen*ChairpersonAsia Freudenberg Group, Regional Representative, Freudenberg Management (Shanghai) Co., LtdManaging Director

Ms. Simone Pohl*Executive DirectorDelegation of German Industry & Commerce ShanghaiDelegate and Chief Representative

Mr. Lothar GradVice-ChairpersonSchletter (Shanghai) Solar Technology Co., Ltd.General Manager

Ms. Brigitte WolffTreasurerEIM Executive Interim Management China Ltd.President

Mr. Michael MaederWard Howell Management Consulting (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Direct HR, Hidden Champion, IOTOne.comCo-Founder, Managing Partner

Mr. Markus MildnerSiemens Ltd. ChinaExecutive Vice PresidentEnergy Management Division, Siemens Greater ChinaChina General Manager

Mr. Clas NeumannSAP China Co., Ltd.Senior Vice President, Head of SAP Global Labs Network

Mr. Titus von dem BongartErnst & Young (China) Advisory Ltd. Shanghai Branch OfficePartner, Head of GBN Greater China, ASEAN, and Korea

Mr. Richard ZhangKERN-LIEBERS (Taicang) Co., Ltd.General Manager

Mr. FENG XingliangTreasurerNRW.INVEST China/BeijingChief Representative

Dr. Matthias GöbelDeutsche Lufthansa AGChief Representative

Mr. Jochen GollerBMW Group Region ChinaBMW China Automotive Ltd.CEO & President

Mr. Christoph KaiserTurck (Tianjin) Technology Co. Ltd.Managing Director

Dr. Björn LindemannHaver Technologies TianjinGeneral Manager

Mr. WU YongxinSiemens Ltd. ChinaExecutive Vice PresidentChief Government Affairs OfficerGeneral Manager Regional Organization

Dr. Stephan Wöllenstein*ChairpersonVolkswagen Group ChinaVolkswagen Passenger CarsCEO Passenger Cars BrandExecutive Vice President Volkswagen(China) Investment Co., Ltd.

Mr. Jens Hildebrandt*(since 7/2018)Executive DirectorDelegation of German Industry & Commerce BeijingDelegate & Chief Representative

Ms. Alexandra Voss*(until 5/2018)Executive DirectorDelegation of German Industry & Commerce BeijingDelegate & Chief Representative

Ms. Susanne RademacherVice-ChairpersonBEITEN BURKHARDT Rechtsanwaltsges.mbH Beijing Representative OfficePartner and Chief Representative

Beijing Office

Tianjin Office Shenyang Office

per December 2018

15

ANNUAL REPORT 2018

15

Membership

1514

German Chamber of Commerce in China

Ms. Lydia SchulzRegional Manager Shenzhen+86-755-8635-0487schulz.lydia@gz.china.ahk.de

Mr. WEN XiaofeiRegional ManagerSichuan-Chongqing+86-28-8533-6840wen.jfay@gz.china.ahk.de

Ms. CHEN EmilyEvent & Marketing Manager Guangzhou+86-20-8755-2353*217chen.emily@gz.china.ahk.de

Ms. SU SuzanneEvent & Marketing Manager Shenzhen+86-755-8635-0485su.suzanne@gz.china.ahk.de

Mr. Ulf Reinhardt*ChairpersonFoshan ARC Industrial EquipmentManufacturing Co. Ltd.Chairman and General Manager

Mr. Maximilian Butek*(since 9/2018)Executive DirectorDelegation of German Industry &Commerce GuangzhouDelegate and Chief Representative

Mr. Jens Hildebrandt*(until 7/2018)Executive DirectorDelegation of German Industry & Commerce GuangzhouDelegate & Chief Representative

Mr. Tim LeitschuhTreasurerBock China Ltd.General Manager

Mr. Dong DuongTrolli Guangzhou Confectionery Co., Ltd.General Manager

Mr. Bernd LeuthnerHerrenknecht (Guangzhou) Tunneling Equipment Ltd.Managing Director

Mr. Ralf Mazetdevolo Asia Consulting (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.Manager Manufacturing Services Asia

Mr. Jan Grigor SchubertZAMA GroupPresident

South & Southwest China

Ms. WU ElizaMembership & Administration Manager+86-20-8755-2353*225wu.eliza@gz.china.ahk.de

In 2018, the German Chamber of Commerce in China supported its 2,302 member companies by providing exclusive business events on specific topics and a strong networking platform. Furthermore, we have strengthened our advocacy on behalf of our members towards the German and Chinese governments. Through our newly launched official German Chamber WeChat accounts, we are now closer connected to our members. For 2019, we strive to focus on our members' needs even more and help them create value through their membership with us.

MEMBERSHIP

*GCC All-China Board Member

1716

ANNUAL REPORT 2018

17

Membership

16

German Chamber of Commerce in China

Liaoning

Shandong

Jilin

Shenzhen Foshan

Chengdu Chongqing

West PearlRiver Delta

Dongguan

Shanghai

Zhejiang

Taicang

SuzhouKunshan

Beijing

Tianjin

Anhui

Henan

HubeiSichuan

Yunnan

Guizhou

Guangxi

Jinan Qingdao

Fujian

Hebei

Jiangsu

Guangzhou

Shenyang

North China

Shanghai

South & Southwest China

Shanxi

MEMBERSHIP STATISTICS

Membership Development 2017-2018

2017 2018

2017 2018

2017 2018

Regional Membership Distribution 2018

South & Southwest China 2017 2018

Guangzhou Region (Guangzhou, Foshan etc.) 85 71Dongguan 18 14Shenzhen Region (Shenzhen, Hong Kong etc.) 74 72Southwest China (Chengdu, Chongqing) 26 22West-PRD 22 17Others 12 15

Total 237 211

Shanghai 2017 2018

Shanghai 1061 1030Taicang 87 90Suzhou 84 92Kunshan 54 55Zhejiang 61 64Shandong 12 14Others 208 178

Total 1567 1523

North China 2017 2018

Beijing 343 329Tianjin 80 75Hebei 11 11Liaoning 79 92Jilin 13 16Shandong 17 18Others 24 27

Total 567 568

Members

1200

800

400

00

249

1124

855

245 235

60 58 10731

9630

1567 1523

Members

Private Member

Private Member

Private Member

Special Member

Special Member

Special Member

Corporate Small

Corporate Small

Corporate Small

Corporate Micro*

Corporate Micro*

Corporate Micro*

Corporate Medium

Corporate Medium

Corporate Medium

Corporate Large

Corporate Large

Corporate Large

0

348

127

26 4719

567

64

303

109

2646

20

568

Total

Total

Total

500

400

300

200

100

0

Members

0

152

113

8 6 1419 149

200

150

100

50

0

27 | Others 18 | Shandong

16 | Jilin

92 | Liaoning

11 | Hebei

75 | Tianjin

329 | Beijing

64 | Zhejiang55 | Kunshan

92 | Suzhou

14 | Shandong178 | Others

90 | Taicang

1030 | Shanghai

72 | Shenzhen Region14 | Dongguan

71 | Guangzhou Region22 | Southwest China

17 | West-PRD 15 | Others

* 2018 introduction of new corporate membership category "micro"

Jiangxi

Hunan

237

211

44 3930

1523

211

568

1918

ANNUAL REPORT 2018

19

Membership

18

German Chamber of Commerce in China

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS AND SERVICES

� Reduced member rates for Chamber events, not just in your region, but also when on a business trip in other parts of China

� Access to exclusive members-only events� Get great deals across China from our selected partners of restaurants, hotels,

bars and more (GC Deals)� Share and develop your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project as best

practice of social engagement by German companies in China during the "More than a Market" Awards

� Share your expertise as a speaker at one of our events� Become a Board Member and shape the work of the German Chamber

� Contribute insights and opinions to advise decision makers incl. governmental and public stakeholders

� Make your company’s voice heard in our annual Business Confidence Survey and flash surveys on current topics

� Access to our broad network of governmental bodies and institutions in Germany and China

� Specialized services for SMEs including legal advice, market research and trainings (up to 33% discount for our members)

� Advantages for German Business Visa Applications� Up-to-date information on China’s economic development� Preferential access to the results of our annual surveys: Business

Confidence Survey, Labor Market & Salary Survey and the Innovation Survey of the Greater Shanghai region

� Profile entry in and exclusive access to our Membership Directory� Brand exposure through high-profile sponsorships of our flagship events� Free delivery of the business magazine “German Chamber Ticker” and the

possibility to publish company news in the magazine free of charge� Up to 10% discount for advertisement in “German Chamber Ticker”

magazine, newsletters and WeChat� Up to 15% discount for advertisement on the AHK Greater China homepage� Enjoy discounts of up to 35% for the use of DE Job Market, our efficient

source for domestic as well as international talents and the preeminent platform for reaching professionals with a German background

� Make use of the new Chambers' WeChat channels for your marketing activities

FINANCIALS

Allocation of Expenses 2018

Revenue Distribution 2018

General Expenses and Administration ¥ 15,086,611.25

34%

49%

1%

7%9%

Other ¥ 668,545

Events ¥ 6,231,364.23

Publications ¥ 849,952.83

Total ¥ 22,836,473.31

Total ¥ 23,072,286.48

Publications ¥ 1,487,374.36

Events ¥ 7,898,475.45

Yearly Sponsorships ¥ 2,132,161.75

Other ¥ 300,995.04

Membership Fee ¥ 11,253,279.88

Preferential Access

Get personally involved

Advocacy – Representation of your Business Interests

Business Services

Outreach and Visibility

66%

4%

27%

3%

German Chamber of Commerce in China

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We have our own manufacturing plants in Kunshan and Shenyang, China.

FRIENDS OF GERMAN CHAMBER

Become a Friend of the German Chamber in ChinaThe German Chamber of Commerce in China is the official member organization representing German business in China. To help connect German companies in China with Chinese companies, we open our business network for Chinese companies to join us as “Friends of German Chamber”.

North China:

Kathrin WolfsgruberE-mail wolfsgruber.kathrin@bj.china.ahk.deTel +86 (0)10 - 6539 6661

East China: Daisy ZHUE-mail zhu.jingjing@sh.china.ahk.deTel +86(0)21- 3858 5030

South and Southwest China:

Lydia SchulzE-mail schulz.lydia@gz.china.ahk.deTel +86 (0)755 - 8635 0487

Who can join?Chinese companies interested in connecting with and increasing business cooperation with German companies

What are the benefits?• Connect with German Chamber member companies in China • Access our network of valuable connections in Germany and China and network with the

German, Chinese & international business community• Take part in high-level business and matchmaking events and share your expertise • Gain unique visibility and exposure in our publications and on social media• Get information on investing and developing successfully in the German market

How to join? Contact us for more information and let us know your key motivation for becoming a Friend of the German Chamber.

2322

ANNUAL REPORT 2018

23

Membership

22

German Chamber of Commerce in China

ADVOCACY ENGAGEMENT

In 2018, the Chamber intensified its advocacy engagement. In numerous meetings with central, provincial and local government authorities, Board Members and Chief Representatives introduced the Chamber's work. They expressed the challenges and concerns on various topics including market access, policy transparency, internet issues and more. Both sides shared perspectives on Sino-German relations, received information and discussed future opportunities for cooperation. Moreover, high-level governmental visits have taken place throughout the year. During frequent trips to Germany, the Delegates have expanded the Chamber’s network in Berlin government circles, with many German federal states as well as IHKs.

160+ meetings 300+ hours 150+ pages

Central, provincial and local government level

Discussing challenges and opportunities for cooperation

Survey results, reports and comments handed over to authorities

GCC IN THE PRESS

Extensive press work is one of the German Chamber of Commerce’s methods to advocate the interests of German business in China. We put effort into increasing awareness of Chamber’s activities, support our members in the development of their businesses and to help reveal challenges and concerns of German enterprises in China and further fostering a positive image of German companies in China.

Last year was marked by a number of important events; the second half of the year was marked by the ongoing trade conflict between the world’s largest economies. High-level state-visits from both, German and Chinese politicians showed the sound relationship between the countries. German chancellor Angela Merkel payed a visit to Beijing and Shenzhen in May and inaugurated the AHK Innovation Hub in China’s Silicon Valley. In November, the first China International Import Expo (CIIE) took place in Shanghai and 170 German companies attended to showcase innovative products and services.

Later that month the German Chamber of Commerce presented the findings of the yearly Business Confidence Survey (BCS) at a joint press conference in Beijing with all three Chairpersons. This year’s survey revealed a subdued business outlook and a challenging regulatory environment for surveyed companies operating in China. The BCS is a key gauge for measuring the business sentiment of German companies operating in China and one of the most relevant tools used for the Chamber’s advocacy engagement.

In 2018, we successfully leveraged local, national and international media in order to increase and strengthen the public voice of German business in China. During the year we generated more than 150 pieces of news about Sino-German business topics.

We will continue spreading key messages for maximum impact within the media also in 2019! 6th November: Greater Bay Conference with DIHK President Mr. Eric

Schweitzer and Party Secretary of Shenzhen City, Mr. Wang Weizhong

6th November: German Pavilion at CIIE Welcomes the Delega-tion led by Mr. Wu Zhenglong, Governor of Jiangsu province

25th May: German Chancellor Merkel Inaugurates AHK Innovation Hub Shenzhen

17th August: Mr. Jens Hildebrandt Meets Henan Province Government led by Mr. SUN Jing-lin, Deputy Director General Henan Provincial Commerce Department at AHK Office Beijing

6th December: German Chamber Chairwoman Bettina Schoen Attends CPPCC Shanghai Committee Briefing 2018

6th December: Visit of German President Steinmeier to Foshan

26th January: Ms. Simone Pohl Attends Roundtable Discussion hosted by Shanghai Foreign Affairs Office

2524

ANNUAL REPORT 2018

24

German Chamber of Commerce in China

25

GCC Surveys

In 2018, the German Chamber of Commerce in China continued to conduct the annual Business Confidence Survey, Labor Market & Salary Survey and for the second time the Innovation Survey Greater Shanghai Region. The active participation of our members helps us offer an up-to-date assessment of the current business climate for German enterprises in China and to advocate your interests to government bodies and the press. The results were published, widely quoted in the press, distributed to key stakeholders and introduced at a series of events across China.

GCC SURVEYSPUBLICATIONS

German Chamber Ticker is the free quarterly business magazine published by the German Chamber of Commerce in mainland China. Its cover stories and business articles explore current economic and social topics and trends and provide a deeper look into German key industries in China. German Chamber Ticker features articles, papers and interviews with high-ranking business professionals and reveals the latest news about the German and international business community in mainland China. Regular legal and economic updates inform about market developments and trends in the region. The magazine is distributed to all members and partners of the German Chamber of Commerce in China and is available for download from our website www.china.ahk.de and on the Chambers’ WeChat channels.

DistributionOur main distribution channel is direct mailing to about 6,300 senior executives and decision makers across China. Around 4,000 copies are additionally displayed at Chamber event venues and key locations throughout North China, Shanghai & Neighboring Provinces and South & Southwest China on a regular basis. Furthermore, around 6,000 of each German Chamber Ticker issue can be found on Lufthansa flights from China to Germany.

ReadershipWith a total circulation of its printed version of around 16,500 copies as well as the frequent monthly downloads of its online version, each issue reaches over 26,000 readers.

German Chamber Ticker

2726

ANNUAL REPORT 2018German Chamber of Commerce in China

27

GCC Surveys

26

The German Chamber of Commerce in China’s annual Business Confidence Survey is a key gauge for measuring the business sen-timent of German companies operating in China. The survey fo-cused on business outlook and performance, investment climate, China’s reform efforts and deficits, as well as the trade conflict and its consequences.

Subdued business prospects and a challenging regulatory envi-ronment shape the business climate of German companies oper-ating in the Chinese market. Challenges such as bureaucracy and administrative hurdles, legal uncertainty and unclear regulatory framework conditions, as well as slow and limited internet persist. Nevertheless, China remains an important market with good busi-ness opportunities for the majority of German companies.

Stable assessment of the current economic situation, cautious outlook for 2019China remains a significant market to German companies, but the momentum of recent years has diminished. Merely 40% of Ger-man companies rate the current development of the Chinese econ-omy as positive – 14% less than in 2017. And the less optimistic outlook of German companies stretches into 2019: Almost 30% expect a worsening in the development of the Chinese economy.

On industry level, around half of German companies in China are still satisfied with the growth potential in its primary market seg-ment. Nevertheless, the three largest German industries in China are less optimistic about the year 2018 and see their last year’s expectations about their industry development not fulfilled. For 2019, no significant improvements are forecasted. However, China still ranks among the top three markets for most companies.

Further Investments plannedAround two thirds of the German companies plan to further in-vest in China within the upcoming two years. Investment in staff development and training are the main beneficiaries. A notable share of respondents plans investment in sales, marketing and business development, new manufacturing facilities, as well as Research and Development.

The main reasons for the one third of respondents who do not plan to invest in China within the next two years are the increas-ing labor costs. Furthermore, the expectation of slower growth in China, the lack of regulatory transparency, predictability and impartiality as well as increased domestic competition were also often stated as reasons.

Reform Efforts, Deficits and Business Challenges40 years ago, China's economic opening-up and reforms began, leading to an unprecedented and successful economic devel-opment for the benefit of foreign and Chinese companies alike. Around 50% of the surveyed companies believe in the Chinese government's commitment to further open the market.

However, the market opening rhetoric in previous months has fallen short of the expectations of German companies in China. Around one in two respondents rates the Chinese government's efforts in the areas of economic reforms, the creation of a level playing field for foreign companies, the reform of state-owned enterprises and the liberalization of the financial sector as insufficient.

In the field of tension between enormous market opportunities, uncertain regulatory conditions and growing competition, German companies still face various challenges on the Chinese market: Bureaucracy/administrative hurdles, legal uncertainty and an un-clear regulatory framework are evaluated as regulatory business challenges. Internet-related challenges such as slow cross-border internet speed and internet access restrictions hamper German businesses in China. HR-related issues remain unchanged among the most severe operational challenges.

Trade Conflict, Reactions and ConsequencesIn 2018, the bilateral relations between China and the US were char-acterized by the ongoing trade dispute, resulting in mutual imple-mentation of punitive tariffs. In general, relatively few German com-panies in China are dependent on exports. The majority of German companies in China produce for the local market. Only few compa-nies have larger exports to the USA. The effects of the trade conflict have nevertheless become noticeable for surveyed companies.

BUSINESS CONFIDENCE SURVEY 2018/2019The full report is available for download from our website www.china.ahk.de

China National Wages Rebounding to Double Digit GrowthAccording to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in 2017 wages returned to double digit-growth, with a nominal increase of 10.0% year-on-year. The average wage was RMB 74,318 in 2017, versus RMB 67,569 in the previous year. From 2015 onward, salary growth rates have been swinging between double digit growth rates (10.1% and 10.0%, in 2015 and 2017 respectively) and single-digit growth (2016, 8.9%). With the coun-try’s transition to a more value-added production-based model, talent for specific industries remain scarce. As a result, China’s wage levels are accelerating and in certain provinces are nearing those of some European regions. China’s labor force, after years of catching up, is finally “getting paid”. This results in upward pressure on productivity and opens the door to the relocation of lower-end activities to countries with lower labor costs.

Average Wage and Wage Growth 2008-2018

Looking at regional distributions, central regions in China (An-hui, Henan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Shanxi, etc.) present the highest wage increase in 2017 (10.7% growth, for an average annual salary of RMB 61,193), followed by the most developed coastal provinces in the East with a 10.1% year-on-year increase in 2017 with an average annual salary of RMB 84,809. The most moderate wage increase in 2017 occurred in Northeast China (8.5%), which also holds the lowest annual holds the lowest annual average salary among the four regions, with RMB 59,514.

Expected Wage Growth at German Companies Picking UpFor the first time since the German Chamber of Commerce in China started measuring salary data among its member companies on a China level, the expected salary growth for the upcoming year has picked up. The forecasted salary increase of 5.99% for 2019 is 0.09 percentage points above last year’s forecast. Although only a very mild increase, this year’s mark represents an end to the downward trend of salary growth rates reported during the last seven years.

Expected Wage Growth Development at German Companies in China (%) Nominal Growth

The upward trend of wage developments at German companies in China is reflecting the evolution from 2017 to 2018 of effec-tive national wage increases, minimum wages and regional wage guidelines (issued by provincial governments). Growth of national wages picked up some momentum and is moving from 10.0% in 2017 to 10.1% in 2018, according to the Chamber’s estimates; growth for minimum wages has gone up (from 10.7% to 11.1%); while wage guidelines have remained stable, growing at 7.8% on average during both years. It remains to be seen whether 2019 will represent a tipping point in the overall downward trend the survey has been recording so far or whether salary growth will stabilize around the 6.0% – in the vicinity of China’s annual GDP growth.

Wage Growth Indicators (%)

The mild uptick in the evolution of the overall results for China, with wages at German companies expected to grow 5.99% next year versus 5.90% in 2018, does not reflect a China-wide phe-nomenon. A major part of the acceleration in wage increases is expected in the Yangtze River Delta areas and Guangzhou, with an expected wage increase 6.16% in 2019 (+0.23 p.p. in compar-ison with last year’s mark). In North and South China, except for Guangzhou, a slowdown in wage growth is expected for 2019: 5.54% (-0.17 p.p.) in Northern provinces and 5.90% in the South.

LABOR MARKET & SALARY REPORT 2018/2019

This report was conducted in partnership with

The short version of the report is available for download from our website www.china.ahk.de. The full report is available for our members only.

10

8

6

4

2

2016 2017 2018 20192014 20152012 2013

10,2 8,9 8,8 8,1 7,1 6,23 5,9 5,99

19%

16%

13%

10%

7%

2016 2017 2018 20192014 20152012 2013

Minimum Wage Wage Guidelines National Wage German companies expected Wage growth

67.500

45.000

22.500

21%

17%

13%

8%

4%

2014 2016 201820122008 2010

28.8 46.736.5 56.3 74.332.2 51.4 67.541.7 62 81.8

Wage Growth, nominal (in %) Average Wage RMB

60

50

40

30

20

10

2016 2017 2018 20192014 2015

How do you evaluate the development of the Chinese economy in 2018 and expect its development for 2019?

Improving Worsening Unchanged

(expectation)

28

German Chamber of Commerce in China

28

Following its launch in 2017, the Greater Shanghai Innovation Survey 2018/19 among German manufacturing companies in the Greater Shanghai area was conducted for the second time by the German Chamber of Commerce Shanghai in cooperation with Tong-ji University and goetzpartners Management Consultants. In 2018, concerns about human resources and lack of talent, headquarter influence and the regulatory environment represented key barriers to innovation as identified by the more than 100 survey respondents from the automotive and machinery/industrial equipment industries.

Talent – A Top Concern for InnovationLess than 10% of the more than 100 respondents of the Greater Shanghai Innovation Survey 2018/19 are satisfied or very satisfied with the innovation capability of their employees. Looking at the skills relevant for innovation, the survey results show that satis-faction levels are particularly low for three skills: critical thinking, complex problem-solving, and creativity. These skills also head the list of top skills needed by 2020, as analyzed by the World Economic Forum. Employers can use a variety of methods along the line of recruitment, selection, training and development, and retention to increase the innovativeness of their workforce. For example, the survey data indicate a correlation between innova-tion training and innovation performance.

Finding the balance between know-how protection and agilityApart from lack of talent, headquarters’ influence is also identified as one of the top barriers to innovation for German manufacturing companies in Greater Shanghai. Only 13% of respondents say that headquarters’ influence is “not at all” a barrier to innovation. The survey shows that headquarters that grant more autonomy have more innovative Chinese subsidiaries. While subsidiaries tend to adopt autonomy-seeking behavior to develop agility, to respond to moves of competitors, and to seize local market opportunities, headquarters usually strive for more centralization to keep control, protect know how, and minimize risks. Finding the balance is a challenging process. Further, while 58% of surveyed manufactur-ing companies say that headquarters are involved in innovation activities to a large or very large extent, only 44% indicate that headquarters demonstrate efforts to learn about local markets and products to a large or very large extent.

A Need for an Improved Regulatory LandscapeThe results of the Greater Shanghai Innovation Survey 2018/19 further suggest that German manufacturing companies see the regulatory environment in China as a barrier to innovation. Data protection, cybersecurity, the protection of intellectual property, and restricted internet access are all issues that put German manu-

facturing companies in Greater Shanghai at a challenge when it comes to innovation. A major concern is the new Cyber Security Law (CSL) that came into effect in June 2017. 46% of surveyed German manufacturing companies in Greater Shanghai expect the CSL to have a negative impact on their innovation performance, while one third of respondents are unsure. The new CSL also puts constraints on the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPN). This is a worrisome development for German manufacturing companies in Greater Shanghai, with 86% of respondents considering a VPN an essential part of conducting their daily business in China. To deal with challenges posed by the regulatory environment in China, more than half of surveyed manufacturing companies consider support from the German government important or very important for their entity’s ability to innovate in China. German manufactur-ing companies in Greater Shanghai particularly wish for govern-mental support to achieve equal opportunities for foreign invested enterprises under Made in China 2025. An improved and innova-tion conducive regulatory environment could lead to more support from headquarters which in turn facilitates innovation perfor-mance. This would not only benefit German companies, but also enhance collaborative innovation with Chinese partners that will eventually benefit China’s economic growth and ongoing transfor-mation towards an innovation-driven economy.

INNOVATION SURVEY 2018The full report is available for download from our website www.china.ahk.de

This report was conducted in partnership with

To what extent are the following issues barriers to innovation for your Chinese entity?

Very large extent Large extent Moderate extent Small extent Not at all

Human resources

Data protection concerns

Headquarter influence

Cybersecurity

IP concerns

Restricted internet access

Lack of suitable external partners

Financial resources

Lack of market insight

Economic turbulence

Insufficient government support

3%

7%

10%

5%

8%

5%

33%

2%

2%

20%

58%

42%

38%

37%

33%

36%

19%

30%

27%

18%

24%

26%

16%

17%

20%

17%

14%

31%

30%

20%

20%

29%

11%

27%

23%

30%

31%

31%

22%

40%

39%

2%

9%

13%

8%

11%

15%

17%

16%

13%

20%

26%

The German Chamber of Commerce | Shanghai offers its members a wide range of business and social events. Be it workshops, seminars, working group meetings or networking events, we take pride in offering tailor-made events to meet and exceed our members’ expectations.

CHAMBER ACTIVITIES IN SHANGHAI AND THE NEIGHBORING PROVINCES

Chamber ActivitiesGerman Chamber of Commerce in China

3130

ANNUAL REPORT 2018

11th January

Ms. Simone Pohl attends Appreciation Dinner hosted by Department Commerce of Zhejiang Province

22nd January

Ms. Simone Pohl speaks about “Business Environment and German Industry Perspectives” at Sino-German Company Working Group Industrie 4.0 and Intelligent Manufacturing (AGU) hosted by GIZ

26th January

Ms. Simone Pohl attends Roundtable Discussion hosted by Shanghai Foreign Affairs Office

9th February

Meeting with Vice Minister Zhang Jianguo from Ministry of Human Resource and Social Security in Taicang, Jiangsu Province

8th March

Meeting with Member of German Parliament Stephan Thomae

14th March

Mr. Jan Jovy, representing the Delegation, speaks in Shanghai Commerce Commission (SCOFCOM) Briefing event

25th April

Delegation attends IPR press conference hosted by Shanghai Superior People’s Court

17th August

Meeting with Mr. Qin Jun, Head of Department of Commerce of Hubei province

23rd August

Meeting with Mr. Sun Xinhua, President of Invest Shanghai

ADVOCACY AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

4th September

Briefing Roundtabe with German Bundestags Committee on Economic Affairs and Energy

6th September

Meeting with former Federal Minister for the Environment Jürgen Trittin

31st October

GIC General Manager Jan Jovy Speaks at Sino-German SME Cooperation & Communication Conference in Shandong/Jinan City

4th November

Delegation Briefing of Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economics and Energy, Christian Hirte

6th November

German Pavilion at CIIE welcomes the Delegation led by Mr. Wu Zhenglong, Governor of Jiangsu province and Mr. Zhu Congjiu, Vice Governor of Zhejiang province

19th November

Delegation Briefing of Prof. Dr. Armin Willingmann Minister of Economy, Science and Digitalization of Saxony-Anhalt

6th December

German Chamber Chairwoman Bettina Schoen attends CPPCC Shanghai Committee Briefing 2018

10th December

Shanghai and Beijing Delegates meet German President Frank Walter Steinmeier

Managing Partner 管理合伙人：Dr. Ulrike Glueck 邬丽福博士

Phone 电话：+86 21 6289 6363Email 邮箱：ulrike.glueck@cmslegal.cn

Ranked as a Top 10 Global Law Firm, CMS can provide a full range of legal and tax service in 41 countries with

73 offices. Together with 4,500 CMS lawyers worldwide, CMS, China (Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong) offers

business-focused advice tailored to your needs. 作为全球十大律师事务所之一，CMS 位于 41 个国家的73家办事处能够为您提供全方位的法律与税务服务。CMS，中国（上海、北京和香港办事处）携手我们全球 4,500 名律师为企业客户提供注重商业

目的、量身定制的法律服务。

CMS, China德国 CMS 德和信律师事务所驻上海代表处

Address 地址: 2801 Plaza 66, Tower 2, 1266 Nanjing Road West, Shanghai 200040上海市南京西路 1266 号恒隆广场 2 期 2801 室Phone 电话：+86 21 6289 6363Fax 传真：+86 21 6289 9393Email 邮箱：info@cmslegal.cnWebsite 网站：https://cms.law/en/CHN/

Key Practice Areas 主要业务领域：Corporate & M&A,Banking & Finance, Commercial, Competition & Anti-trust,Compliance, Consumer Products, Dispute Resolution,Employment & Pensions, Intellectual Property, Life Sciences and Healthcare, Real Estate & Construction, Tax and TMC.公司法与并购、银行与金融、商法、竞争法与反垄断、合规、消费品、争议解决、劳动法、知识产权、生命科学和医疗保健、房地产与建筑、税法，以及科技、媒体与电信。

German Chamber of Commerce in China

32

MAJOR DELEGATION VISITS

MARCH 11th-17th: Minister of Social Affairs & Integration of the State of

Hesse, Mr. Stefan Grüttner with 10 company representatives15th-16th: Digital Düsseldorf – Company Delegation26th: Mayor of the City of Lahr, Dr. Wolfgang G. Müller

APRIL 7th-8th: President of the Hamburg Parliament, Carola Veit 18th-20th: Mayor of Berlin & Senator for Economic Affairs & Energy,

Ramona Pop with 50 company representatives

MAY 12th-18th: Minister for Regional Development & Transport of

Saxony Anhalt, Mr. Thomas Webel with 10 company representatives

16th: Senator of Economic Affairs of Bremen, Mr. Martin Guenthner

14th-15th: Delegation “Building the City of Tomorrow” (Research Campaign Urban Development of the German Ministry of Education & Research)

26th-1th: Minister of Economy, Science and the Digital Society of the State of Thuringia, Mr. Wolfgang Tiefensee

JUNE 6th-8th: Company delegation lead by Vice President of IHK

Zwickau, Prof. Dr. Frank Baer 12th-14th: VDZ Association of German Magazin Publishers

Delegation

SEPTEMBER 4th-5th: Committee for Economic Affairs & Energy of the German

Bundestag 12th: Delegation of the German magazine WirtschaftsWoche11th-16th: President of the Thuringian Parliament, Christian Carius

15th-22nd: Delegation from Schleswig-Holstein, lead by Prime Minister, Daniel Guenther, Minister of Economic Affairs, Transport, Employment, Technology and Tourism Frank Peter and the Mayor of the city of Kiel, Dr. Ulf Kaempfer

18th-20th: Company delegation “Efficient Industrial Waste Water Treatment” supported by the German Ministry of Environment

OCTOBER 17th: German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and

Energy Thorsten Herdan, Director General, Department Energy Policy, Heating and Efficiency and Dr. Toni Glaser, Deputy Head of Division, Department Energy Policy, Heating and Efficiency

21st-24th: Minister of Economy, Innovation, Digitalization & Energy of North Rhine-Westphalia, Prof. Dr. Andreas Pinkwart with 20 company representatives

28th-30th: Rulebreaker Society – Company Delegation

NOVEMBER 2nd: State Councilor of Hamburg Dr. Annette Tabbara 4th-6th: Parliamentary State Secretary at the German Federal

Ministry for Economics & Energy, Mr. Christian Hirte & President of the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) Dr. Eric Schweitzer with delegation

5th-10th: Minister of Economic Affairs, Employment, Transport and Digitalisation of Lower Saxony, Dr. Bernd Althusmann with 50 company representatives

13th: Mayor of Frankfurt a.M. Mr. Peter Feldmann with delegation

18th-24th: Minister of Economy, Science and Digitalisation of Saxony-Anhalt, Prof. Dr. Armin Willingmann with company delegation

2018 AT A GLANCE

6,334Dual vocational trainees

certified to date

7,628Visa applications

processed

1,532Members

140Employees

105Press requests

22Delegation visits

organized

15,282Inquiries answered

8,482Customers served

500 +Company foundations

supported to date

100Customized in-house

trainings & public courses

in 2019 we celebrate our 25th Anniversary – a perfect occasion to take a look at where we stand today

German Chamber of Commerce in China

34

Shanghai Events ParticipantsChamber Meetings 9 1305Workshops 23 746Special Events 21 2106Forums 4 803Social Events 36 2885German Ball 1 1200

Taicang

Workshops 3 97Special Events 1 32Stammtische and Social Events 15 300

Suzhou

Workshops 3 88Special Events 3 145Stammtische and Social Events 4 75

Hangzhou

Special Events 1 15Stammtische 12 212

Kunshan

Workshops 1 28Roundtable 1 20

Changzhou

Workshops 1 22

NanjingSpecial Events 5 150Stammtische and Social Events 8 60

Qingdao

Workshops 2 40Special Events 2 40Stammtische and Social Events 2 30

Total 158 10,399

OVERVIEW OF ALL EVENTS 2018

3Special Events

Zhejiang

Taicang

Kunshan

Suzhou

Changzhou

Jiangsu

Shandong

Hangzhou

Nanjing

22Workshop participants

Shanghai

88Workshopparticipants

300Stammtische and

Social Eventsparticipants

97Workshopparticipants

International Women‘s Leadership Forum

20Roundtableparticipants

6th Sino-German Controlling Forum

Qingdao

Factory Tour

212Stammtischparticipants

803Forum

participants

9Chamber Meetings 1,200

German Ballguests746

Workshopparticipants

Chamber ActivitiesGerman Chamber of Commerce in China

3736

ANNUAL REPORT 2018

At the first chamber meeting of 2018, Dr. Christine Althauser, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Shanghai, spoke about “Germany and China 2018 – An eventful interna-tional environment and challenges for domestic politics”. She elaborated on Germany’s and China’s roles in the international context and what this could mean for domestic politics. Ger-many’s economic situation is very stable, but there are a lot of challenges in global politics: The EU has to handle issues such as the Brexit, the spread of nationalism, while the US pulling back from the global stage leave space for other players to grow in importance, such as Russia and China. China’s strong economic power also translates into more presence in foreign policy. All this means that Germany needs to develop strategies in order to successfully navigate global developments. In terms of the German-Sino relationship, challenges such as creating a level playing field for foreign companies, the protection of intellectual property rights, legal certainty and a transparent information policy need to be addressed. The German Embassy

and Consulates in China are in a constant dialogue with the Chinese government to achieve progress in all these aspects. Dr. Althauser also stressed the importance of European cooperation in the face of growing competition. Further topics Sino-German business topics were addressed in an engaging Q&A session.

About the speaker: In August 2017, Dr. Althauser was appointed Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Shanghai. Prior to her assignment in Shanghai, Dr. Althauser was posted to the German Em-bassies in Beijing, The Hague, Moscow and Skopje. She has also worked at the Federal Ministry of Defence in Berlin, Germany’s permanent rep-resentation to the EU in Brussels and the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. Dr. Althauser studied Slavic Languages and Literature and Sinology in Heidelberg, Taiwan, Moscow and Luxembourg and joined the Federal Foreign Office in 1985.

Moderator: Ms. Bettina Schoen | Chairwoman of the Board, German Chamber of Commerce. Location: Mandarin Oriental Pudong

In the February Chamber Meeting, a panel of experts in the field of digital operations and legal practice discussed the topic “Cyber Se curity, Control and Privacy”. Mr. Philip Lazare, gave an overview of the new rules and guidelines of China’s Cyber Security Law, which came into force in June 2017. He outlined the different approaches to cyber security in Europe and China and pointed at a number of uncertainties in respect to the new-ly-established regulations. Afterwards, a panel that included Mr. Tobias Steinig, Mr. Dietrich Henne and Mr. Michael Tan voiced their views and gave guidance to expected challenges for inter-national businesses op erating in China.

About the panelists: Mr. Philip Lazare is among the “Old China Hands” with nearly two decades of legal practice in the city. He is a partner in the Shanghai affiliate of the German firm Luther since 2007. Mr. Lazare is a corporate and tax lawyer by training but continues to be engaged in a number of other areas, including IT and data privacy.

Mr. Tobias Steinig joined KUKA in 2016, acting first as the Regional Vice President Digital Operations Asia and Pacific of KUKA Management (Shanghai) Co., LTD. and was promoted to be Global Vice President Dig-ital Operations in 2018. In his previous career, he acted as CIO of Stutt-gart21 – Deutsche Bahn AG and as Head of Global Project Coordination & Realization at Siemens AG.

Mr. Dietrich Henne completed his diploma in Mathematics at Ludwig-Max-imilians-University in Munich, Germany. Since then, he held various posi-tions in Information Technology and Corporate Functions for a consulting company as well as a multinational media corporation in Germany, the USA and China. Mr. Henne came to Shanghai in 2005 and is now re-sponsible for Voith Digital Solutions in China.

Mr. Michael Tan has more than 17 years of experience advising multina-tional companies in their investment and operations in China. Besides his expertise regarding the general corporate, M&A and commercial mat-ters, he specializes in IT regulatory, data protection issues and other new technology driven sectors. Mr. Tan is now heading Taylor Wessing’s TMC practice for China.

Moderator: Mr. Sven Becher | Managing Director of P3 Technical and Management

Consulting. Location: Kerry Hotel Pudong

January 2018

Deutschland und China 2018 – Ein Bewegtes Internationales Umfeld und Innenpolitische Herausforderungen (Held in German)

With Dr. Christine Althauser | Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Shanghai

February 2018

Cyber Security, Control and Privacy: A New “Beijing Consensus”? (Held in English)

With Mr. Philip Lazare | Partner at Luther Law Offices, Mr. Tobias Steinig | Regional Vice President Digital Operations APAC at KUKA Management, Mr. Dietrich Henne | Senior Vice Preisdent at Voith Digital Solutions, Mr. Michael Tan | Partner at Taylor Wessing Shanghai Representative Office

CHAMBER MEETINGS SHANGHAI

GERMAN CONSUL GENERAL INDUSTRY EXPERTS

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At the April Chamber Meeting, Mr. Kai Strittmatter talked about „Neues China – Wie ein Land sich neu erfindet mit Hilfe von Big Data, Kuenstlicher Intelligenz und dem System der sozialen Ver-trauenswürdigkeit.“ Analyzing trends such as Big Data and arti-ficial intelligence in China’s industries, Mr. Strittmatter compared the advantages in the US in terms of basic scientific research with China’s advances in the actual application of technologies. Participants showed particular interest in facial-recognition tech-nologies used by the Chinese police and in the enforceability and effectiveness of a national social credit system in China.

About the speaker: From an early age, Mr. Kai Strittmatter has been interested in China. He studied Chinese in Munich, Xi’an and Taipei, and became a correspondent for the newspaper „Sueddeutsche Zeitung” in 1997. After a seven-year interim period in Istanbul, he returned to Beijing in 2012. Mr. Strittmatter is the author of “Gebrauchs-anweisung fuer China” and has published various other books about China, Hong Kong and Turkey.

Moderator: Ms. Brigitte Wolff | President EIM Executive Interim Management Ltd.; Mem-ber of the Board German Chamber of Commerce | Shanghai. Location: Intercontinental Pudong, Shanghai

April 2018

Neues China – Wie ein Land sich neu erfindet mit Hilfe von Big Data, Kuenstlicher Intelligenz und dem System der Sozialen Vertrauenswürdigkeit (Held in German)

With Mr. Kai Strittmatter | China correspondent for Süddeutsche Zeitung

INDUSTRY EXPERT

New 2018 Board of Directors of the German Chamber of Commerce | ShanghaiThe German Chamber of Commerce | Shanghai welcomes the new Board of Directors: Ms. Bettina Schoen will continue as Chairwoman of the Board and Mr. Lothar Grad as Vice-Chair-man. Ms. Brigitte D. Wolff acts as Treasurer and further members are Mr. Michael Mäder, Mr. Markus Mildner, Mr. Clas Neumann, Mr. Titus von dem Bongart, and Mr. Richard Zhang. Ms. Simone Pohl will continue to hold the position of Executive Director.

The German Chamber would also like to thank the former Board of Directors: Ms. Bettina Schoen as Chairwoman, Mr. Alexander Seitz as former Vice-Chairman and Mr. Steffan Huber as former Treasurer, as well as Mr. Sven Becher, Mr. Lothar Grad, Mr. Rolf H. Koehler, Mr. Michael Maeder, Mr. Marcus Wassmuth and Ms. Brigitte Wolff.

The 2018 General Meeting and Election of the Board of Directors began with a welcome speech by Ms. Simone Pohl, Executive Director, German Chamber of Commerce | Shanghai and Dele-gate and Chief Representative, Delegation of German Industry & Commerce. The Chairwoman of the Board Ms. Bettina Schoen then presented the Activity Report 2016-2018. The German Chamber in Shanghai had two very successful years, reaching a total of 1,567 members in 2017, focusing on improved servic-es for members. Following up the outlook for 2018, Mr. Lothar Grad, Vice-Chairman of the Board, presented the Treasurer’s Re-port 2017. Afterwards, Ms. Simone Pohl announced the call for elections. While the votes were counted, the keynote speaker of the evening, Mr. Jörg Wuttke held a speech entitled “New Wine in Old Bottles: What Has Really Changed After the Party Con-gress?”. Mr. Wuttke touched upon political challenges the Chi-nese government has been facing over the last decade and the role of the U.S. as China’s most important trade partner, includ-ing the development of the trade conflict between China and the

US. After the Q&A session, the election results were announced, and acknowledgements were given to the Chamber team, as well as a thank you to the former Board for their service for the 2016-2018 term.

About the speaker: Mr. Jörg Wuttke is Vice President and Chief Representative of BASF China based in Beijing. Since 2011, he is also Chairman of the BIAC China Task Force of Business and Industry to the OECD. In previous positions, Mr. Wuttke has chaired the German Chamber of Commerce in China from 2001-2004 and acted as Pres-ident of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China 2007 to 2010 and 2014 to 2017. Since 2013, he is also member of the Advisory Board of the think tank Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS).

Moderator: Ms. Simone Pohl | Executive Director, German Chamber of Commerce | Shanghai and Delegate and Chief Representative, Delegation of German Industry & Commerce. Location: Intercontinental Pudong, Shanghai

March 2018

General Meeting and Election of the Board of Directors (Held in English)

With Mr. Jörg Wuttke | Vice President and Chief Representative China BASF (China) Co., Ltd.; Chairman China Taskforce; Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD; Former President or European Union Chamber of Commerce in China

INDUSTRY EXPERT

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June 2018

Future of Mobility – Behind the Scenes of NIO (Held in English)

With Mr. Jack Cheng | Co-founder and Executive Vice President of NIO, Chief Executive Officer of XPT

May 2018

More than a Market Forum and Awards Gala

For more information, please refer to our event highlights on pages 78-81

For the June Chamber Meeting, the German Chamber welcomed Mr. Jack Cheng to talk about the “Future of Mobility – Behind the Scenes of NIO”. In his speech, NIO Co-founder, Mr. Cheng outlined the success story and vision of NIO and why the com-pany sees the future in smart, electric, and autonomous vehicles. The guiding philosophy is reflected in the company’s Chinese name, Weilai, which means “Blue Sky Coming” and represents the commitment to more environment friendly mobility solu-tions. In a Q&A session moderated by Board Member Mr. Mi-chael Maeder, the discussion focused on the future of e-mobility and the emerging trend of a shared economy.

About the speaker: Mr. Jack Cheng, Co-founder and Executive Vice President of NIO, gained first leadership experience in the fields of components design engineering and product development at Ford in 1981. He later became China Country Manager of Magneti Marelli and Chairman of Fiat Automobiles, Co. Ltd. Mr. Cheng received his degree in Mechanical Engineering from Taiwan National Cheng Kung University.

Moderator: Mr. Michael Maeder | Managing Partner at Direct HR Shanghai/Ward Howell Management Consulting (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. Location: The Kunlun Jing An

Over the course of the past 40 years, living standards have been improving all around the world, yet capital allocation is still most-ly concentrated in the Northern hemisphere. Meanwhile, an in-creasingly negative sentiment has been adopted towards the “glo-balization dilemma” – concerns about the “diffusion of knowledge and migration [as well as] interference in domestic policies by the outside world.” At the August Chamber Meeting, this hot topic was discussed by Prof. Dr. Michael Hüther. In his speech, he analyzed the German, Chinese and American economic interconnections and trajectories in world trade and called for a renewed “focus on basic rules and values of European integration,” to successfully “create the next phase of globalization.” The Q&A session focused on the importance of liberal values in the current trade system and global perspectives on economic integration.

About the speaker: Prof. Dr. Michael Hüther studied Economics as well as Medieval and Modern History at the Justus-Liebig University in Giessen. Upon completion of his doctorate in Economics, he became a member of the scientific staff of the Council of Experts for the Evaluation of Macroeconomic Development in 1991. He was then appointed Secre-tary General of the German Council of Economic Advisers. In 1999, he joined DekaBank as chief economist. Since August 2001, Prof. Hüther is Honorary Professor at the European Business School in Oestrich-Winkel. In July 2004, he was appointed Director and Member of the Presidium of the German Economic Institute.

Moderators: Ms. Bettina Schoen | Chairwoman of the Board , Mr. Tim Wenniges | Chief Representative at Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Shanghai Representative Office. Location: Shanghai Tower Conference Center

August 2018

Globalization at Stake: Exhaustion, Systemic Competition and Disintegration of the Transatlantic West – Globalization and Challenges of Liberal Democracies (Held in English)

With Prof. Dr. Michael Hüther | Director at the German Economic Institute

INDUSTRY EXPERT

INDUSTRY EXPERT

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Future leaders’ qualities and new challenges in talent management were the central themes of the Chamber Meeting in September. The panelists discussed internal and external strategies to identify and attract new talents, for example via social media channels, and how to retain them. Particularly as regards the new generation of “millennials”, German companies should realize their task of edu-cating entrepreneurs, allowing for self-driven work and recognizing their individual contribution to the company. The characteristics of such entrepreneurs and future leaders would include, among others, openness, team-orientation and inclusiveness. In the Q&A session, topics such as motivation and incentives for senior professionals, as well as challenges of digital leadership were discussed.

About the panelists: Ms. Grace Liu is HR Director at SAP China, based in Shanghai. She has nearly 20 years of HR professional experience in leading ICT com-panies such as China Mobile, IBM, Dell. Ms. Liu holds Bsc. in Finance from Sun Yet-Sun University, China, and MA in Human Resources Man-agement from Business School, University of Warwick, UK.

Ms. Qian Wu is HR Director Asia at Freudenberg Regional Corporate Center Asia. She was educated both in China and Germany with a focus on Human Resources. For most of her 14 years work experience, she has been dealing with HR responsibilities including talent develop-ment and HR generalist, in China and other Asian countries.

Dr. Thorsten Bauer serves Russel Reynolds Associates’ clients in the Industrial and Energy and Natural Resources Sectors, with a focus on chemical and process industries, industrial goods and services. Dr. Bau-er is also a member of the firm’s Operations and Supply Chain Practice. Based in Munich, Dr. Bauer helps his clients find the best-suited leader-ship talent to face their business and culture challenges.

Moderator: Mr. Titus von dem Bongart | Partner | Head of GBN Greater China, ASE-AN and Korea at EY. Location: PRIMUS Hotel Shanghai Hongqiao

The October Chamber Meeting opened with the presentation of the Chamber’s Greater Shanghai Innovation Survey 2018. Key find-ings indicate that innovation has become even more a top priority among German companies operating in the greater Shanghai area, who also face a challenging regulatory environment.

Questions of innovation and international competition were also taken up by Dr. Wöllenstein in his following speech, who traced the success stories of a few exemplary Chinese car models and pointed out that the technology and innovations of local, of-ten government-related players, are thereby contributing to the build-up of a future infrastructure, in which intelligent connect-ed vehicles become part of a fully connected, highly digitalized environment. After his speech, the audience raised questions about the Chinese impact on global innovation, solutions for more effective German competition and the role of investment and Chinese companies’ strategies on the international markets.

About the speakers: Dr. Stephan Wöllenstein has been CEO of the Volkswagen Passen-ger Cars Brand China since August 2016. He is also Executive Vice President at Volkswagen Group China. Dr. Wöllenstein has been with Volkswagen since 1995 and has extensive experience across sales, marketing as well as product management. His working life includes in total 10 years in China. He has fulfilled leading positions in both Volkswagen’s Chinese joint ventures, SAIC VOLKSWAGEN and FAW-VW. Mr. Wöllenstein holds a degree in economics and business admin-istration and obtained a doctorate in marketing.

Prof. Zheng Han is goetzpartners Chair of Innovation and Entrepre-neurship at the Sino-German School for Postgraduate Studies (CDHK) at Tongji University, Shanghai. Before his academic career, he worked with McKinsey & Company in Germany and served as Chief Investment Advisor for the Haniel Group in China, being responsible for strategic investments and expansion strategy of portfolio companies.

Moderator: Ms. Bettina Schoen | Regional Representative at Freudenberg Group. Location: Intercontinental Pudong

September 2018

How to Develop the Leaders of the Future: New Challenges in Talent Management (Held in English)

With Dr. Thorsten Bauer | Executive Director of Russell Reynolds Associates, Grace Liu | HR Director of SAP China, Qian Wu | HR Director Asia of Freudenberg Regional Corporate Center Asia

October 2018

Automotive Industry Quo Vadis? The Dawn of the Chinese Era (Held in English)

With Dr. Stephan Woellenstein | CEO of Volkswagen China Passenger Cars Brand; Executive Vice President of Volkswagen (China) Investment Co. Ltd.; Chairman of the Board of the German Chamber of Commerce in China | North China, and Prof. Zheng Han | Professor at CDHK, Tongji University

INDUSTRY EXPERTS INDUSTRY EXPERTS

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Machine & Plant Construction

Marketing & Sales

Legal & Tax

Legal & Tax (Chinese)

Production & Logistics

Woman in Business

Young Leaders

Controlling & Finance

Automotive

Construction & Building Operation

Controlling & Finance

Human Resources

Information Technology

WORKSHOP LEADERS

Mr. Daniel Tweer

ROSLER Surface-tech

(Beijing) Co., Ltd. Shanghai Branch

General Manager

Dr. Michael Kroll

Schenck Shanghai

Machinery Corp. Ltd

General Manager

Mr. Bernd Pichler

ICONIQ Motors China

Chief Marketing Officer

Ms. Brigitte Wolff

EIM Executive Interim

Management China

President

Mr. Roger Haynaly

Rödl & Partner China

Partner

Ms. Vivian Yao

Rödl & Partner China

Partner

Mr. Hu Xiaolong

UNITY Business Consulting

(Shanghai) Co., Ltd.

Partner, Managing Director

Ms. Doris Rathgeber

Body & Soul – Medical Clinics

Founder and General Manager

Ms. Vivien Newrzella

Celemi AB

APAC Account Manager & Facilitator

Mr. Michael Maeder

Direct HR Group/Ward Howell

International

Managing Partner

Mr. Jean-Luc Duong

Radeberger Gruppe

Representative Office Shanghai

Mr. Tobias Pfütze

LiqEase

Founder

Ms. Daisy Zhu

German Chamber of

Commerce

Regional Manager Shanghai

Ms. Sarah Oemmelen

PwC Shanghai Office

Manager – Tax Services

Mr. Peter Bornschein

(until Nov 2018),

IFS China

General Manager

Mr. Joseph van der Elst

Energydesign (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.

Deputy Managing Director

Mr. Hans Niemann

Energydesign (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.

Project Manager

Mr. Alexander Prautzsch

PwC China Shanghai Office

Director – Tax Services

Mr. Axel Kuhlmann

akcc Ltd.

Managing Partner

Dr. Johannes Hofberger

PwC Shanghai Office

Senior Manager

Mr. Ahmet Tombul

Vauman Technology

Consulting (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.

General Manager

The Chamber’s traditional Christmas Chamber Meeting, held on 13 December welcomed guests with festive decoration, music by the Shanghai German Christian Association in Shanghai (DCGS) trom-bone choir and a rich menu, which all contributed to the special Christmas atmosphere. Protestant Pastor Dr. Annette Mehlhorn and Catholic Priest Dr. Michael Bauer of the DCGS were welcomed to talk about the impact of the digital age on religious traditions and beliefs. After a warm welcome of all guests, by Mr. Lothar Grad, the Chamber’s More than a Market Initiative, held for the third time in 2018, was introduced by Dr. Sigrid Winkler. As a flagship project, The Kids Football Project, initiated by the German business community in Shanghai, was presented by Mr. Stefan Ahrens. Having won the More Than a Market Award 2017 in the category Collaborative Projects, the initiative offers underprivileged migrant children in Shanghai the opportunity to take part in soccer train-ing. In the following More Than a Market lucky draw, participants who had already handed in their CSR projects for the 2019 Awards could win various prices, including tickets for the German Ball 2019. In their engaging speeches, Dr. Mehlhorn and Dr. Bauer then reflected on new ways of practicing beliefs and rituals in an age of digitalization. Like every year, the Pfrang foundation was also pre-sented with a donation check of RMB 100,000, by Dr. Winkler on behalf of the German Chamber | Shanghai. This donation supports their work with underprivileged adolescents. The event brought the Christmas spirit, and was a great start for the holiday season.

About the speakers: Dr. Annette Mehlhorn studied religious studies in Germany and Israel and completed her Ph.D in education- and social sciences. Before coming to Shanghai, Dr. Mehlhorn was pastor at the Protestant Academy Arnolds-hain from 1995 to 2013.

Dr. Michael Bauer, born in 1969 in Troisdorf, entered priesthood at the Cologne Cathedral in 1996. Since 2004, he has been working for the German Christian Association Shanghai, where he is mostly responsible for pastoral care.

Moderator: Mr. Lothar Grad | General Manager at Schletter (Shanghai) Solar Tech-nology Co.Ltd. Location: Grand Hyatt Jin Mao Tower

December 2018

Weihnachtskammertreffen 2018: Virtuell oder wahr: Wie viel Mensch braucht das Halleluja? (Held in German)

With Dr. Annette Mehlhorn | Protestant Pastor at Deutschsprachige Christliche Gemeinde (DCGS) Dr. Michael Bauer | Catholic Priest at DCGS

CHRISTMAS MEETING

Neighboring Provinces

Shanghai

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

20190228_Hofmann Asia_final.pdf 1 28.02.2019 11:10:08

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January

Workshop Women in Business: „Female Change Makers“—Women and Social Entrepreneurship

German Chamber Office Ms. Marina Kalnitski | Taicang Inclusion Factory; Ms. Cecile Cavoizy | Shanghai Young Bakers; Ms. Seema Ahluwalia | Mifanmama; Ms. Heather Louis | More than Aware

Alumni Stammtisch

Haxnbauer

Kunshan GM Roundtable: The implications of the environmental policy on manufacturing activities such as factory closures and relocations

Pollmann Mechatronik, Kunshan

Ms. Julia Coym | Senior Analyst, Control Risks’ Global Risk Analysis practice

Workshop Young Leaders: Powerful habits from and for Entrepreneurs

DoBe WE@BUND

Mr. Mike Hauge | Founder/Managing Partner at Learning Leaders; Ms. Yael Farjun | CEO and Co-founder at ChinaClickGo.com

Young Professional Stammtisch Shanghai

Paulaner@XinTianDi

Hangzhou German Chamber Corner

WADEs Bar & Grill

On 15th January 2018, a special event entitled “Präsentation des EU Handelskammer „Positionspapiers 2017/2018” was held in cooperation with the European Chamber of Commerce, hosting around 40 people. Dr. Ioana Kraft held a speech where she men-tioned that in the 2018 paper, the European Chamber evaluated how Chinese authorities have so far lived up to the commitments towards economic globalization and openness expressed during President Xi’s speech at the World Economic Forum. The paper also looks at the pace of implementation of State Council Document No. 5, which was released in January 2017 and included 20 points organized under three themes: Take further steps to open to the outside, further create an environment of fair competition, and further strengthen efforts to attract foreign investment.

Speakers: Dr. Ioana Kraft | General Manager | European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, Shanghai Chapter; Mr. Marcus Wassmuth | UniCredit S.p.A., Shanghai Branch; Mr. Andreas Odrian | Deutsche Bank (China) Co., Ltd., Shanghai Branch; Ms. Brigitte Wolff | President, EIM Executive Interim Management Ltd. Location: German Chamber Office

Special Event: Präsentation des EU Handelskammer „Positionspapiers 2017/2018”

Change Management is one of the essential skills great leaders need to demonstrate today. Which is why on 18th January, the German Chamber organized an interesting HR workshop about the work place and office transformation. The event was held at the InterContinental Pudong hotel. Mr. Norbert Reichert shared a case from ZF in Germany about “Workplace 3.0” and discussed the challenges in realizing it in Europe and China. Through a free dialogue style, audiences applied unique ways to share thoughts and to experience how change affects the workplace. Ms. Noriko Takagi from Steinbach & Partner divided the audience into few groups to play different roles, simulating the process of engaging people, which was very successful. Attendees liked the interactive style of the event.

Speakers: Mr. Norbert Reichert | Vice President Corporate Human Resources, Region Asia Pacific, ZF Group; Ms. Noriko Takagi | Managing Partner, Steinbach & PartnerLocation: InterContinental Pudong

Workshop HR: Work Place/Office-Transformation to the Next Level “A Practical Process Example of Engaging People for Change”

Taicang Stammtisch

Pam Pam Dongcang South Road

9th

Deutscher Stammtisch

Paulaner @ XINTIANDI

15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 22nd

Workshop IT: The IoT Decision Framework – A Guide to Developing & Deploying IoT Solutions

German Chamber Office Mr. Walenza Erik | CEO of IoT ONE; Mr. Ramkumar Prabhu | Vice President and Global Head of Digital Services at TÜV SÜD

30th

Nanjing Stammtisch

Secco Restaurant & Bar

31st

WORKSHOPS AND EVENTSEvents without mentioned city were held in Shanghai

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February

Workshop Legal & HR Taicang: “Retention Management – How to keep your employees from leaving after Chinese New Year”

German Center TaicangMs. Miriam Wickertsheim | Director at Direct HR Group; Mr. Ralph Koppitz | Chief representative of the Taylor Wessing Shanghai Office

Workshop Legal & HR Suzhou: “Retention Management – How to keep your employees from leaving after Chinese New Year”

Suzhou Xinghai Building (East Wing)Ms. Miriam Wickertsheim | Director at Direct HR Group; Mr. Ralph Koppitz | Chief representative of the Taylor Wessing Shanghai Office

Young Professional Stammtisch

Paulaner @ XINTIANDI

On 1st February 2018, the German Chamber Shanghai hosted a Legal & Tax workshop about the New Anti-Unfair Competition Law which has become effective on 1st January 2018. Mr. Mike Goldammer started with an introduction, which gave the audience a general overview on AUCL changes. He made comparisons be-tween the 1993 and 2018 version in civil liability, administrative fines and the IP perspective. Furthermore, he differentiated be-tween administrative liability and criminal liability. He continued with mentioning major changes of the anti-bribery clauses. The core question: “Do the benefits offered by the counterparties (such as various sales incentives and promotions) no longer count as commercial bribery?” was answered with: “It is still on observation period, the rules relating to discount, tokens are still effective and also new considerations came up, such as whether it restricts the consumers choice or involves false advertising.” Ms. Cara Meng continued with a presentation and description of enforcement cases. The key focus industries for anti-bribery in 2018 which are typically mentioned by authorities are Automotive, Construction, Education, Funeral, Insurance, etc. A key takeaway from the work-shop was that old risky patterns are still risky due to improper

accounting and direct treatment to the retailer bypassing mid-dleman distributors. The need of setting up effective and updated compliance management systems is strong and companies shall revisit internal policies in regards to engagement of intermediaries.

Moderator: Mr. Roger Haynaly | Partner, Rödl & Partner. Speakers: Mr. Mike Goldammer | Partner at Taylor Wessing, Munich Office; Ms. Cara Meng | Senior Associate at Taylor Wessing, Shanghai Office. Location: InterContinental Pudong

Workshop Legal & Tax: Understanding the New Anti-Unfair Competition Law – A New Era in Fighting Commercial Bribery?

1st

Taicang Stammtisch

Pam Pam Dongcang South Road

6th

Deutscher Stammtisch

Paulaner @ XINTIANDI

13th 28th

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March

Taicang Stammtisch

Pam Pam Dongcang South Road

6th 9th 13th 19th 20th 21st

Taicang Workshop Legal & Tax (in Chinese): “ 企业环境法风险控制 , 应急处理及实际案例分析 / Enterprise’s

Risk Control, Emergency Response under the PRC’s Environmental Law and Case Study”

German Center TaicangMs. Annie Zhu | Hylands Law Firm, Shanghai Office

Breakfast Event – Workshop Finance & Controlling Suzhou:” Customs update and challenges on outbound payment from Customs valuation perspective”

Hyatt Regency Suzhou Mr. Roger Chen, Ms. Kelly Guan | Deloitte China

Workshop Qingdao: ”Impact of the New PRC Cyber Security Regime”

Black Forest Music Restaurant Mr. Michael Tan | Partner at Taylor Wessing

Special Event: Executive Women’s Breakfast

German Chamber Office Ms. Jenny Xiang | President China at Brose China Co., Ltd.

Deutscher Stammtisch

Paulaner @ XINTIANDI

Hangzhou German Chamber Corner

WADEs Bar & Grill

Young Professional Stammtisch

Paulaner @ XINTIANDI

During the event, Mr. Bernd Pichler mentioned new risks and challenges facing risk management & controlling in China. He gave examples in marketing & sales and in procurement in the automotive industry to introduce practices of risk management & controlling in business. Mr. Philipp Senff mentioned risk management & controlling from a legal & compliance point of view. Furthermore, he talked about protection against Personal CEO and CFO Liability Risks in China. He also provided an overview about practical tools for the prevention and crisis management in conjunction with compliance cases in China and several real-life case studies with a focus on procurement and sales, which show typical hidden compliance risks and realistic strategies for responding to these risks. Moreover, he gave advice how to deal with whistleblower allegations and how to protect senior executives against personal liability risks in China.

Moderator: Mr. Alexander Prautzsch | Tax Director at China Tax & Business Advisory Services, PwC. Speakers: Mr. Bernd Pichler | CMO at ICONIQ Motors; Mr. Philipp Senff | Partner at CMS China; Location: German Chamber of Commerce in China | Shanghai Office

PwC has been conducting an annual survey with global and China CEOs for the past 20 years. At this event, Mr. SiuFung Chan, shared key survey findings and insights from the PwC CEO Survey.

According to the survey, the results that were dependent on three aspects. Mr. Chan stated that there is a significant jump in CEO optimism regarding global growth in the next 12 months. Also, executives in China are optimistic about their revenue growth in the short term. Moreover, business optimism is also being reflected in the upward PMI trends.

Mr. Chan asked attendees what key challenges and concerns they have. More importantly, he shared some valid data and the efficient key takeaways to show how they are pursuing growth and overcoming challenges.

Moderator: Mr. Daniel Tweer | General Manager at ROSLER Surface-Tech (Beijing) Co., Ltd. Shanghai Branch. Speaker: Mr. SiuFung Chan | Partner and the Consulting Leader at Industrial Products & Services at PwC China and Hong Kong. Location: The Kunlun Jing An Hotel

Workshop Controlling & Finance: Risk Management & Controlling – Challenges and Opportunities in China

Workshop Machine Building & Plant Construction: Anxious Optimism-”Key PwC CEO Survey Findings from Global and China Industrial Manufacturing Industries”

23rd 28th

Workshop Young Leaders: Demystifying e-commerce – First hand insights into the world of online retail business

Atlas Workplace @ Gopher CenterMr. Fabian Schneider | BD Director North Asia, Dr. Wolff China

Nanjing Stammtisch

Secco Restaurant & Bar

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During the event, Mr. Will Shen, attorney at River Delta Law Firm mentioned that more enterprises are facing increasing labor disputes with the Chinese government’s continuous im-provement and adjustment on the regulations between labor and management and that the controversial clauses in internal rules and regulations can put enterprises in an unfavorable situation. Therefore, it is important for enterprises to establish feasible and legally enforceable enterprise’s rules and regulations to protect the interests of employers. Mr. Shen analyzed and discussed the controversial rules and regulations of enterprises combining problems in actual cases, which make the problems easy to un-derstand. Furthermore, Mr. Shen elaborated that the enterprises

should also revisit the common issues arising in employment in a timely manner and take precautionary measures, for example, how to treat attendance records as proof in labor disputes; how to regulate sick leave, maternity leave for second child and leave for preventing miscarriage etc.; as well as how to prove the necessity of overtime to deal with claims for overtime pay; and whether confidentiality and noncompetition rules will have an impact in the demission case, etc.

Moderator: Ms. Vivian Yao | Partner at Rödl & Partner China. Speaker: Mr. Will Shen | Attorney at River Delta Law Firm. Location: German Chamber Office

Workshop Legal & Tax (in Chinese): Mitigating Labor Disputes — How to Avoid Legal Pitfalls When Formulating and Implementing Internal Rules and Regulations

April

3rd 20th

Workshop Legal & HR Kunshan: “Performance Prediction – How to Assess Performance Aspects under HR and Legal Point of View?”

Swissotel Kunshan Ms. Miriam Wickertsheim | General Manager at Direct HR Group; Mr. Ralph Koppitz | Partner, Chief Representative at Taylor Wessing Shanghai

Ms. Yu Song who works at Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Plan-ning, which is one of the functional departments of the Shanghai municipal government, spoke at this event. She gave deep in-sights about the Shanghai Master Plan and examples and indi-cators about how foreign companies can actively get involved in Shanghai’s future development. In general, the Shanghai Master Plan 2017-2035 (hereinafter referred to as “Shanghai 2035” or the Master Plan), is organized and prepared by Shanghai Municipal People’ s Government and is the first megacity plan approved by the State Council after the 19th National Congress of the CPC. It comprehensively implements the spirit of the 19th National Congress, takes President Xi Jinping’s thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era for guiding ideas with a clear stand. It also serves as the basis and official document for city planning, construction and management within the jurisdiction of Shanghai. It is also an important document to guide the future development of Shanghai, and a development blueprint to realize “Better City, Better Life”. According to Ms. Song, Shanghai will become more dynamic, attractive and sustainable. Innovation, a more convenient life and the construct of an eco-city are the three pillars to this end.

Speaker: Ms. Yu Song | Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Planning and Land Resources. Moderator: Dr. Sigrid Winkler | Executive Chamber Manager at German Chamber of Commerce Shanghai. Location: German Chamber Office

Special Event (in Chinese): Shanghai Master Plan 2017-2035

Taicang Stammtisch

Pam Pam Dongcang South Road

Deutscher Stammtisch

Paulaner @ XINTIANDI

10th 11th 12th

Hangzhou German Chamber Corner

WADEs Bar & Grill

17th 18th

Young Professional Stammtisch

Paulaner @ XINTIANDI

Special Event: Nanjing International Women’s Leadership Forum – Women In Innovation

Vision Restaurant & Bar, Nanjing

27th

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Taicang Stammtisch

Pam Pam Dongcang South Road

May

8th 9th 11th 15th 16th 24th 25th 29th 30th 31st22nd 23rd

More than a Market Forum & Awards Gala 2018

Grand Hyatt ShanghaiFor more information, please refer to our event highlights on page 78

Workshop Marketing & Sales: Creating Loyalty by Successful CRM

German Chamber Office Mr. Gerrit Silla | Head of CRM Volkswagen at SAIC Volkswagen, Shanghai

Special Event: Nanjing International Women’s Leadership Forum: Education across Cultures-Encouraging Children to Appreciate Other Cultures and Languages

Visions Restaurant & Bar Ms. Sue Northcott | Nanjing International School; Mr. Matthew Shean | English Language Services at East China at British Council

InterChamber Mixer Spring/Summer

Paulaner @ Raffles City Changning

Asparagus Dinner

Paulaner @ Raffles City Changning

Special Event:Factory Tour at Stihl Qingdao & The 16th German Business Community – Get Together in Qingdao

BEBA of Hyatt Regency

Deutscher Stammtisch

Paulaner @ XINTIANDI

[Members Only] Taicang Workshop Lean Management: “Gold Mine – How to Dig Out the Gold from Your Organization?”

German Center TaicangDr. Jeff Zhou | Advisor to President of Lean Enterprise China (LEC) & Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering at Tong Ji Universi-ty Mr. Victor Zhou | Project Director of fischer Consulting China

On 22nd May 2018, the German Chamber of Commerce held a HR Workshop entitled “Leading through Resistance” at the JingAn Kunlun Hotel, with Ms. Debbie Nicol as the speaker. With the business world now an interconnected, multi-cultural village, showing signs of shift and change at every corner, all team members seek evidence of positive intention and accountability from their leaders. Credibility and believability are no longer earned through words or title but rather actions and behaviors that contribute and serve. Ms. Nicol contextualized the impact of the presence or absence of these defined leadership behaviors and showcased how to work with a model to help one find hidden treasures within resistance when it strikes. In this interactive event, Ms. Nicol gave the participants a clearer understanding of the concepts by using different examples and deepened the topic with a video at the end of the event.

Speaker: Ms. Debbie Nicol | Founder and Managing Director of Business en motion Location: Jing An Kunlun Hotel

On the 24th May, the German Chamber of Commerce | Shanghai held a special event about establishing a contract, social insurance, and personal welfare of the German expats. The speech was held in German. During this event, the speakers distinguished the social insurance system in Germany and China. Besides consequences for the social insurance in Germany, different types of insurances in China were introduced and discussed. How can expats acquire appropriate and sustainable social security for a long-term stay in

China? Which steps need to be taken when returning to Germany? Ms. Duchetsmann focused on the difference between the social insurance and personal welfare in China and Germany. Mr. von der Eltz also shared the tips and how to solve these questions in China. The participants joined a lively discussion. and left the event with valuable updates for their personal planning.

Speakers: Mr. Klaus-Peter Von der Eltz | General Manager at Expatriate Care Consult GmbH; Ms. Iris Duchetsmann | Attorney at Law. Location: German Chamber Office

Workshop HR: “Leading through Resistance” Special Event: Vertragsgestaltung, Sozialversicherung und private Vorsorge für deutsche Expats

Hangzhou German Chamber Corner

WADEs Bar & Grill

Young Professional Stammtisch

Paulaner @ XINTIANDI

Nanjing Stammtisch

Secco Restaurant & Bar

Chamber ActivitiesGerman Chamber of Commerce in China

5756

ANNUAL REPORT 2018

Special Event: “New Members’ Day”On 7th June 2018, the German Chamber of Commerce held a “New Members Day” in their office. Newly joined members were warmly welcomed by Ms. Simone Pohl and Mr. Jan Jovy, who gave speeches introducing the Chamber network and the services offered by the GIC. the Chamber network in China. Afterwards, Dr. Sigrid Winkler introduced the Chamber in Shanghai. Members were given insights about the German Chamber membership benefits, learned more about the services provided by the GIC, and got to meet the team. Many departments from the Chamber and GIC, including the Membership team, Events team, Communications team, Legal & Invest Department, and Media department, joined the event and gave on-site consulting to our new members. Representatives of different companies were also given to opportunity to network. The last part of the New Members’ Day was an office tour. Members were shown the different departments and office structure in the Chamber.

Speakers: Ms. Simone Pohl | Delegate and Chief Representative, Delegation of German Industry & Commerce Shanghai, Executive Director, German Chamber of Commerce | Shanghai; Mr. Jan Jovy | General Manager, German Industry & Commerce (GIC); Dr. Si-grid Winkler, Executive Chamber Manager, German Chamber of Commerce | Shanghai. Location: German Chamber Office

June

[Taicang] FIFA World Cup Public Viewing

German Centre Taicang

Taicang Stammtisch

Pam Pam Dongcang South Road

Alumni Stammtsich

Shanghai Beer Factory

Special Event: Vietnam as an Investment Location for German Companies in China

The Kunlun Jing An

Mr. Marko Walde | Chief Delegate at Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Vietnam (AHK Vietnam); Dr. Jörg-Michael Scheil | Partner at SCHULZ NOACK BÄRWINKEL & Rechtsanwälte PartmbB; Mr. Roman Kübler | Managing Director of B. Braun Vietnam Co., Ltd

The automotive industry is going through a period of tremendous change. The rise of Chinese OEM’s, autonomous driving, E-mobility and connectivity are major disruptive forces. They influence each other, but each has its own characteristics. New technologies give new opportunities to new companies, at the same time it forces current leaders to change and transform. Nowhere is this more evident than in China. Mr. Russo gave an overview on the current state of the E-mobility transformation globally and in China. He noted that the Chinese government and Chinese companies are embracing this change and are trying to build leading global positions. Dr. Ye Guohong showed what this change means for leading automotive suppliers and how it responds to the challenges of the future. In his opinion, the established players are responding. At the same time not all technology questions are settled, the electrification has its own problems, fuel cell technology continues to be developed, and currently, the conventional combustion engine still rules. Mr. Roger Looney gave Qoros’ perspective and how an OEM can ensure its future in the changing environment. He mentioned that China, by market size and speed of innovation, is positioning itself as the catalyst to drive the transformation of the

business model and technological underpinnings of the global auto industry. All participants were very active during the Q&A section. The speakers were willing to share the PowerPoint presentation so that participants can continue to learn past the event.

Moderator: Mr. Peter Bornschein | General Manager at IFS China. Speakers: Mr. Bill Russo | Founder & CEO of Automobility Limited; Dr. Guohong Ye | Vice President and Head of E-Mobility Asia-Pacific at ZF Friedrichshafen AG; Mr. Roger Looney | Vice President of Vehicle Engineering & Electric Propulsion at Qoros Automotive Co. Ltd. Location: Hyatt Regency Shanghai Global Harbor

The Chamber Briefing was organized by the German Chamber of Commerce, in cooperation with the European Chamber Nanjing and AmCham Nanjing Center, to give member and non-member companies insights about current relevant business challenges in China, focusing on the Shanghai and Nanjing areas. The cooperation of the three chambers brings together different point of views on current developments relevant for foreign business in China. In this first chamber briefing, the German Chamber presented the Shanghai Masterplan 2025, which also includes the development of the Jiangsu region and Nanjing, the American Chamber gave insights about the US-China relations, and the European Chamber focused on their Business Confidence Survey and business developments in the greater Nanjing area.

Speakers: Mr. Kenneth Jarret | President of The American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai; Dr. Andreas Risch | Managing Director of Fette (Nanjing) Compacting Ma-chinery Co., Ltd. and Vice Chair of European Chamber Nanjing Board; Ms. Daisy Zhu | Regional Manager Shanghai, German Chamber of Commerce in China | Shanghai.Moderator: Ms. Johanna Spee | Regional Manager Neighboring Provinces, German Chamber of Commerce in China, Shanghai. Location: Tab Planet Nanjing

Workshop Automotive: Automotive Transformation – E-Mobility

Special Event & Joint Chamber Event: Chamber Briefing Nanjing

Special Event: Workshop Leader Meeting

German Chamber Office

NANJING NEXT SUMMIT

InterContinental Nanjing

Deutscher Stammtisch

Paulaner @ XINTIANDI

Workshop Legal & Tax (in Chinese): Focus of Tax Investigation in 2018 & Tax Investigation Risk Alert following the implementation of the 3rd Golden Tax System

InterContinental PudongMr. Michael Li | Tax Partner at KPMG China

FIFA World Cup Public Viewing Taicang Dongting Building

Hangzhou German Chamber Corner

WADEs Bar & Grill

Young Professional Stammtisch

Paulaner @ XINTIANDI

[Partner Event] 2018 “Raise the Bar” Manufacturing Conference & Suzhou Municipal Government Appreciation Luncheon

Intercontinental Suzhou

Mr. Qing Wei | Microsoft (China) Co., Ltd.; Mr. Tom Ward | PIM CHINA Ltd.; Mr. Haoding Wen | SCHAEFFLER Trading (SHANGHAI) Co., Ltd.; Ms. Helen Chen | L.E.K. China of Lek; Mr. Russell Hubbard | Tekni-Plex Technologies (Suzhou) Co., Ltd.; Mr. Jason Lin | Global Trade Services, APAC of Te Connectivity; Mr. Leo Li | Partner and Managing Director of Boston Consulting Group; Mr. Thomas Shao | Abbott China; Ms. Cathy Yan | General Manager at PPG Industries; Mr. Andy Zou | Greater China at Aptar Group

1st 6th 12th 17th 20th19th8th 22nd 27th7th5th

Chamber ActivitiesGerman Chamber of Commerce in China

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ANNUAL REPORT 2018

On 10th July 2018, the German Chamber of Commerce conducted a special event: “Excursion to Songjiang G60 Sci-Tech Innovation Valley & Company visit to Weben Smart Manufacturing System”. Songjiang is one of the most important advanced manufacturing bases in Shanghai. Focusing on Shanghai Manufacturing” brand construction, Songjiang created a G60 Sci-Tech Innovation Valley facing the Yangtze River Delta along the Songjiang section of the G60 expressway. Its industry is precisely positioned at “6+X” strategic emerging industries including intelligent manufacturing, integrated circuits, new energy, bio-medicine, intelligent security and new materials and productive services. During the excursion, the blueprint for the development of Songjiang G60 Sci-Tech Innovation Valley was introduced. Leading companies and enterprises were also introduced.

The business lunch was followed by the official conference where Mr. Jiangbing Wang from KUKA and Mr. Jiong Wu from Haier held their speech. Mr. Wang gave insights on the robotics market and industry revolution development, robotics-based automation, and KUKA’s smart manufacturing solutions in the automotive industry. Mr. Wu introduced the COSMOPlat, which is related to Industry 4.0. After the conference, participants visited the Weben Smart Manufacturing System in Songjiang. WEBEN SMART’s main business is system integration of flexible equipment with industrial robots, and robot’s refurbishment. WEBEN SMART provides one-stop, flexible factory automation solutions and turnkey projects to customers. All participants were satisfied with this event and expressed big interest towards the speeches of KUKA’s and Haier’s guest speakers.

Speakers: Mr. Jiangbing Wang | CEO of KUKA System (Shanghai); Mr. Jiong Wu | Vice President of Business & General Manager at Haier Digital Technology Co., Ltd & Haier Digital Technology Shanghai Branch. Location: G60 Sci-Tech Innovation Valley Exhibition Hall

July

2nd

Taicang Stammtisch

Pam Pam Dongcang South Road

Deutscher Stammtisch

Paulaner @ XINTIANDI

Hangzhou German Chamber Corner

WADEs Bar & Grill

Young Professional Stammtisch

Paulaner @ XINTIANDI

3rd

Alumni Stammtsich

Paulaner @ Raffles City Changning

Nanjing Stammtisch

Intercontintental Nanjing

On 2nd July 2018, the German Chamber Shanghai organized another interesting company excursion, this time to SAIC Volkswagen Automotive Company Ltd.’s Car Plant in Anting. Proceeding the arrival of the attendees, Mr. David Powels, First Vice President & Commercial Executive Vice President gave a brief and informative introduction of SAIC Volkswagen. He gave an overview of the plants worldwide, showcased different products and models, and revealed important key figures, and the main core goals for SAIC Volkswagen. The presentation was followed by an active Q&A, in which Mr. Powels was asked about how learnings from the Chinese automotive sector can be implemented into automotive sectors worldwide. With over 30 years of experience in different countries, such as South Africa, Germany and China, Mr. Powel’s conclusion about the Chinese automotive market was a positive one. After the end of the presentation, carts were awaiting the participants in the lobby to carry them through the plant. Visitors were guided through different workshops on the factory floor, where the process of different components were shown. In conclusion, it was an insightful and interesting visit, where visitors were led “behind the scenes”.

Speaker: Mr. David Powels, First Vice President & Commercial Executive Vice Presi-dent. Location: Anting, SAIC Volkswagen, Car Plant 3

[Members Only] Special Excursion Automotive: SAIC Volkswagen Plant Visit

Special Event: Excursion to Songjiang G60 Sci-Tech Innovation Valley & Company Visit to Weben Smart Manufacturing System

Sommer Garden BBQ

Black Forest Music Restaurant

13th 17th 27th10th 18th

Chamber ActivitiesGerman Chamber of Commerce in China

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ANNUAL REPORT 2018

August September

Special Event (in Chinese): German Visa Application Support

for Chinese Business Travelers German Chamber Office

Ms. Ling Yu | Head of Visa Services Department, GIC Shanghai

2018 Taicang Oktoberfest: AHK Night on August 29th

Taicang Software Park

Joint Chamber Estival Mixer

Bistrot @ People’s Square

Taicang Stammtisch

Pam Pam Dongcang South Road

Taicang Stammtisch

Pam Pam Dongcang South Road

Deutscher Stammtisch

Paulaner @ XINTIANDI

Young Professional Stammtisch

Paulaner @ XINTIANDI

Hangzhou German Chamber Corner

WADEs Bar & Grill

Valentine’s Special: DIY Your Life & Find Your Love Coffee Jiahui Wellness Center

[Suzhou] 6th Sino-German Controlling Forum –

Controlling for SustainabilitySuzhou, Pan Pacific HotelFor more information, please refer to our event highlights on page 70

Workshop Machine Building & Plant Construction: “The Change to Digitalization in Marketing in Mechanical Engineering Industry in China”German Chamber Office

Speaker: Mr. Oliver Lorenz | CEO of Montfort Shanghai; Moderator: Mr. Daniel Tweer, General Manager of Rosler Surface-Tech (Beijing) Co., Ltd Shanghai Branch

14th Welcome Back PartyEurocampus German and French School Shanghai

DUSA Social Gathering/German Chamber Deutscher Stammtisch

BlueMarlin Xinghai Branch

14th 17th15th7th2nd 1st 7th21st 23rd 29th 4th 5th

Chamber ActivitiesGerman Chamber of Commerce in China

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ANNUAL REPORT 2018

19th18th13th 20th

[Suzhou] Workshop Production & Logistics: “Envi-ronmental Regulation in China – Impacts to Man-ufacturing Companies”

The Production and Logistics Workshop at Gustav Wolf in Suzhou was one of the most well received workshops in the neighboring provinces. Over 40 participants exchanged their experiences and challenges with the environmental regulatory framework in China. Next to the plant visit of Gustav Wolf, participants gained practical an insight on how Gustav Wolf deals with the environmental protection law and its implementation from Mr. Thomas Scholz. In addition, Mr. Jan-Mi-chael Hähnel introduced the current state of environmental regulations in China. Ending with an open experience exchange with all attendees, the participants could experience how other companies deal with their environmental challenges and derive their individual solutions.

Speakers: Mr. Jan-Michael Hähnel | Foreign Legal Consultant at Burkardt & Partner; Mr. Thomas W. Scholz | General Manager at Gustav Wolf Wire Rope (Suzhou) Co., Ltd.; Mr. Robin Zhang | Operations Director of PETERLACKE Shanghai Ltd. Moderator: Mr. Xiaolong Hu | Partner, Managing Director at UNITY Business Consulting (Shanghai) Co., Ltd; Location: Gustav Wolf Suzhou

On 11th September 2018, a joint Workshop Marketing & Sales/IT en-titled “WeChat for B2B” took place at the German Chamber Office, which attracted around 30 people attending. During Mr. Ahmet Tombul’s speech, he explained how B2B companies can create ad-ditional value to their users by designing and developing solutions and mini programs on the WeChat platform. He also showed par-ticipants what type of information is available using the WeChat API and WeChat payment API. After that, he let the audience on a journey through WeChat’s security, an aspect in which companies should care about. Finally, Mr. Tombul used real life cases of B2B companies to show not only why these solutions create an addi-tional value for users but also the barriers that companies must conquer while using this platform.

Speaker: Mr. Ahmet Tombul | Managing Director of Vauman Information Technology Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd. Moderators: Ms. Brigitte Wolff | President at EIM Executive Interim Management Ltd. European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, Shanghai Chapter; Dr. Johannes Hofberger | Senior Consultant at BearingPoint Consulting. Location: German Chamber Office

11th

Workshop Legal & Tax: Get Ready for China’s Individual Income Tax Reform

InterContinental PudongMs. Tanja Fuchs | Director TAX, People Advisory Services EY Shanghai

Special Event: “Regulation through Big Data: Implications

of China’s Social Credit System for Businesses”German Chamber Office

Dr. Mareike Ohlberg | Research Associate at Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS), Berlin

HR Summit 2018

The QUBE HotelFor more information, please refer to our event highlights on page 69

Deutscher Stammtisch

Paulaner @ XINTIANDI

Joint Workshop Marketing & Sales/IT: “WeChat for B2B”

Special Event: Salary & Job Market Developments 2018/2019: “Presentation of the German Chamber’s 11th Annual Salary Survey”

The QUBE HotelMr. Juanjo Cardona | Marketing and Information Solutions Manager at Direct HR Group

Special Event: HR Executive Roundtable

Primus Hotel Hongqiao

14th

German Wine Festival

Qingdao World Rolling Stock Town

The Qingdao World Rolling Stock Town and Bombardier Qingdao

Qingdao World Rolling Stock Town

[Suzhou] Salary & Job Market Developments 2018/2019: “Presentation of the German Chamber’s 11th Annual Salary Survey”

Pan Pacific Hotel SuzhouMr. Juanjo Cardona | Marketing and Information Solutions Manager at Direct HR Group

[Taicang] Salary & Job Market Developments 2018/2019: “Presentation of the German Chamber’s 11th Annual Salary Survey”

Sino-German MOBO Business Center

Mr. Juanjo Cardona | Marketing and Information Solutions Manager at Direct HR Group

Hangzhou German Chamber Corner

WADEs Bar & Grill

Young Professional Stammtisch

Paulaner @ XINTIANDI

Nanjing Stammtisch

Secco Restaurant & Bar

26th 27th

Chamber ActivitiesGerman Chamber of Commerce in China

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ANNUAL REPORT 2018

Young Professional Stammtisch

Paulaner @ XINTIANDI

October

15th 16th 17th 22nd 23rd

Special Event:Präsentation des EU Handelskammer ,,Positionspapiers 2018/2019”

German Chamber Office Ms. Brigitte Wolff | President at EIM Executive Interim Management Ltd.; Ms. Ioana Kraft | General Manager at European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, Shanghai Chapter; Mr. Marcus Wassmuth | UniCredit S.p.A. Shanghai Branch; Mr. Andreas Odrian | Director of Deutsche Bank (China) Co., Ltd., Shanghai Branch

[Suzhou][Members Only] Special Event: “PRC Labor and Social Insurance Law – An In-Depth Introduction”

Modern Media Plaza Mr. Ralph Koppitz | Partner, Chief Representative at Taylor Wessing Shanghai

Workshop Young Leaders: Pay Attention, Gain Control

German Chamber Office Mr. Andrew Jeanfreau | Co-founder of Paradigm Fitness Consulting; Ms. Bethany Jeanfreau | Co-founder of Para-digm Fitness Consulting

Sino-German Communication Forum “The future of communica-tion – Innovation storytelling and how new technologies impact the ways we communicate”

German Centre ShanghaiFor more information, please refer to our event highlights on page 70

Special Event: Richtig versichert im Ausland? Worauf deutsche Expatriates im Ausland achten sollten

German Chamber Office Mr. Sven Janßen | Hofmann

Nanjing Stammtisch

Secco Restaurant & Bar

31th

Taicang Stammtisch

Pam Pam Dongcang South Road

Deutscher Stammtisch

Paulaner @ XINTIANDI

9th

DUSA Social Gathering/German Chamber Deutscher Stammtisch

BlueMarlin Xinghai Branch

10th

On October 11th, German Chamber of Commerce in China – Shanghai organized a workshop called “Blockchain – Deliver Boundless Collaboration for Intelligent Enterprise” at the Chamber’s office. Mr. Philipp Xue got straight into the main topic: “What is blockchain?” He introduced three emerges of blockchain technology, cryptocurrency, architectural concept and distributed

ledger. To eliminate the confusion, Mr. Xue interpreted the distinct steps of the blockchain applications clearly and divided them into three patterns. He also mentioned what should be considered when applying blockchain, including technical applicability, business value and integration. The participants participated actively during Q&A. Mr. Xue and Mr. Gary Sheng, a colleague of Mr. Xue at SAP gave them some suggestions for their company regarding to the topic of the workshop. All participants enjoyed the insights and learned a lot in this event.

Speaker: Mr. Philipp Xue | Director of Strategic Innovation & Government Relation at SAP; Moderator: Mr. Ahmet Tombul | Vauman Information Technology Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd. Location: German Chamber Office

Workshop Legal & Tax (in Chinese): “Analysis on Policy Changes of the New Individual Income Tax Law”

On 18th October, a workshop Legal & Tax (in Chinese) entitled “Anal-ysis on Policy Changes of the New Individual Income Tax Law” was organized by German Chamber of Commerce in China – Shanghai. Mr. Peter Law, who has over 20 years’ experience in providing tax and advisory services at first pointed out eight salient points of the amendments, for example the new definition for tax residency, the new tax system and rates, monthly standard deductions, etc. He also mentioned three uncertainty items to be clarified and gave some observations from his company points of view. He used a table to explain the new categories of individual income tax, the comprehen-sive income and the business income. At the end of the presentation, participants asked actively questions and exchanged their personal experiences with the speaker. Every participant was satisfied with the content, the presentation, and the discussion.

Moderator: Ms. Vivian Yao | Partner | Rödl & Partner China; Speaker: Mr. Peter Law | Tax Advisory Services at Mazars China. Location: German Chamber Office

Special Event: CIIE Information Event – What is the current status and how is Germany represented?

In the run-up to the first CIIE, Ms. Christine Mueller shared the status of German participation and ongoing preparations of the German country pavilion at the CIIE. Then Mr. Wu Hui, Mr. Zhou Zhicheng, Mr. Hu Qing and Mr. Yuan Zhaoming presented how Shanghai and the neighboring provinces will be supporting the fair with special events and receptions being held.

Speakers: Ms. Christine Müller | Deputy General Manager at German Industry & Commerce Greater China | Shanghai; Mr. Wu Hui | Director, Foreign Affairs Section of Commerce Department, Jiangsu Province; Mr. Chen Zhicheng | Director, Foreign Trade Management Division of Commerce Department, Zhejiang Province; Mr. Yuan Zhaoming | Deputy Director, Commerce Commission, Huangpu District; Mr. Wu Qing | Director, Consular Section of the Foreign Affairs Office, Anhui Province. Moderator: Ms. Chris-tine Müller | Deputy General Manager at German Industry & Commerce Greater China | Shanghai. Loction: German Chamber Office

11th

Alumni Stammtsich

Paulaner @ EXPO

12th

Hangzhou German Chamber Corner

WADEs Bar & Grill

Workshop IT: “Blockchain – Deliver Boundless Collaboration for Intelligent Enterprise”

18th 19th

Chamber ActivitiesGerman Chamber of Commerce in China

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ANNUAL REPORT 2018

November

Special Event: Jinshan – A New Era of Smart Factory: Excursion to Jinshan &

Company Visit to Siemens & Riello

Jinshan DistrictMr. Tao Huang | DGM at Shanghai New Jinshan Industrial Investment & Development Co., Ltd.; Mr. Yavor Nikolov | General Manager at Siemens Circuit Protection Systems; Mr. Fausto Dalle Mese | General Manager & Board Member at Riello Heating Equipment (Shanghai) Co., Ltd; Ms. Hui Miao | Project Manager at Shanghai New Jinshan Industrial Investment & Development Co., Ltd.

Special Event: CSR Panel Discussion at the CIIE German PavilionCIIE 2018 – China International Import Expo

Panelists: Mr. Tao Li | VP Strategy, Marketing and Business Development at TÜV Rheinland Greater China; Ms. Grace Li | Head of Communications at Evonik Specialty Chemicals (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.; Mr. Ulf Dressler | VP, Corporate Communications APAC at LANXESS Chemical (China) Co., Ltd.; Ms. Celina Chew | President at Bayer (China) Ltd. Moderator: Dr. Sigrid Winkler, Executive Chamber Manager, German Chamber of Commerce in China | Shanghai

On 15th November 2018, the German Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai hosted their second Members’ Day event in 2018, which attracted more than 40 new menbers. Ms. Simone Pohl first gave the attendees an introduction of the three pillars of the organiza-tion: The Delegation Office, German Industry & Commerce (GIC) and German Chamber of Commerce (GCC). Then it was Mr. Jan Jovy’s turn to introduce the GIC, the service provider that supports companies with their business development in China and Germa-ny. The last speaker was Ms. Daisy Zhu representing the GCC, the membership organization for German companies in China, which

provides up to-date market intelligence, and organizes up to 160 events per year in Shanghai and the neighboring provinces. After the speeches, all guests were invited to have an office tour led by Ms. Zhu and network with other attendees.

Speaker: Ms. Simone Pohl | Delegate and Chief Representative, Delegation of German Industry and Commerce Shanghai & Executive Director, German Chamber of Commerce in China – Shanghai; Mr. Jan Jovy | General Manager, German Industry and Commerce Shanghai; Ms. Daisy Zhu | Regional Manager Shanghai, German Chamber of Commerce in China – Shanghai. Location: German Chamber Office

Taicang Stammtisch

Pam Pam Dongcang South Road

DUSA Social Gathering/German Chamber Deutscher Stammtisch

BlueMarlin Xinghai Branch

Meet the Delegation: Networking-Dinner with the Delegation of Lower Saxony

Sheraton Grand Hangzhou Binjiang Hotel

Deutscher Stammtisch

Paulaner @ XINTIANDI

Taicang Stammtisch

Pam Pam Dongcang South Road

Workshop Qingdao:”Interpretation of the 7th amendment IIT for employees of non-Chinese nationality at the Black Forest Music Restaurant in Qingdao”

Black Forest Music Restaurant

Hangzhou German Chamber Corner

WADEs Bar & Grill

Young Professional Stammtisch

Paulaner @ XINTIANDI

Nanjing International Women’s Leadership Forum – How to work in the multi-cultural team?

British Council NanjingMs. Catherine Bosquet | Teacher

Nanjing Stammtisch

Secco Restaurant & Bar

German Ball

Grand Hyatt ShanghaiFor more information, please refer to our event highlights on page 78

[Changzhou] Special Event: The upcoming Chinese Individual Income Tax Regime – how does this affect you and your company?

Sheraton Changzhou Xinbei HotelMr. Alexander Prautzsch | Tax Director of PwC Shanghai Office

Workshop Legal & Tax: Royalties – Navigation needed under China taxation climate

German Chamber Office Mr. Martin Ng | Managing Partner of Greater China at WTS China Co., Ltd.; Ms. Connie Li | Associate Partner of China at WTS China Co., Ltd.

Workshop Women in Business: Mindfulness at Work for Leaders

German Chamber OfficeMr. Brandon Mehrgut | Senior Trainer and Facilitator at Potential Project China

Special Event: German Chamber Members’ Day

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Chamber ActivitiesGerman Chamber of Commerce in China

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ANNUAL REPORT 2018

December

6th

Interchamber Event: Women in Business Christmas CONNECTORSThe Sukhothai Shanghai

Sino-German Industrial Development and Cooperation SeminarOcean Hotel

Mr. Jiuding Li | Deputy General Manager, Sales Director of Wuhan Troowin Power System Technology Co Ltd; Ms. Christine Mueller | Deputy General Manager at German Industry & Commerce Greater China | Shanghai; Ms. Qi Wang | General Representative at Yangtze River Delta of Sino-Germany Industry 4.0 Alliance; Mr. Boning Zhang | Executive Director and General Manager of China Association of Remote Sensing Application; Mr. Weimin Zhang | Chair Professor – Endowment Chair of Bosch Rexroth Automation & Electrification Solutions, Sino-German School for Postgraduate Studies (CDHK), Tongji-University Director, Institute of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, School of Mechanical Engineering, at Tongji University

Joint Event: Innovation, Investment, and Start-Up Companies in China

Hangzhou Kerry CentreMr. Joe Buetzler | Linde Engineering China; Mr. Lucas Rondez | Hangzhou Young Entrepreneurs Association

On 6th December 2018, the German Chamber of Commerce in China | Shanghai organized a Legal & Tax Workshop entitled, “Interpre-tations and Analysis on the E-Commerce Law”. The speaker Mr. Yang Zhou, first gave a briefing about the current situation in E-Commerce and then introduced the main contents of the up-coming new E-commerce Law and interpreted its potential impact, especially for enterprises and individuals engaged in international trade. He also analyzed topics such as telecommunication super-vision, cyber security and data protection. He also mentioned the great impact that the E-Commerce Law has on intellectual property rights, as well as personal privacy in E-commerce business.

Speaker: Mr. Yang Zhou | Partner at Zhong Lun Law Firm. Location: German Chamber Office

On 12th December 2018, a Young Leaders Workshop: “PROTO: a gamified work-shop for entrepreneurs and business leaders” took place at German Chamber Office, which attracted around 40 people. At the beginning of the workshop, Mr. Tam introduced his start-up team and the card game “PROTO”. To get the participants more involved, Mr. Tam asked everyone the question, “What is in-novation?” and let the attendees share their opinions. After the introduction of the function and rules of “PROTO”, all the guests were divided into groups and experienced virtual challenges as start-up owners.

Speaker: Mr. Brian Tam | CEO of Creativity Consultant, Let’s Make Great!. Moderator: Mr. Jean-Luc Duong | Radeberger Gruppe Representative Office Shanghai. Location: German Chamber Office

Workshop Legal & Tax (in Chinese): Interpretations and Analysis on the E-Commerce Law

InterChamber Christmas Mixer

Paulaner @ Raffles City Changning

5th

Deutscher Stammtisch

Paulaner @ XINTIANDI

11th

Hangzhou German Chamber Corner

WADEs Bar & Grill

Alumni Stammtsich

Paulaner @ Raffles City Changning

19th18th14th

Workshop Young Leaders: PROTO: a gamified workshop for entrepreneurs and business leaders

12th

Young Professional Stammtisch

Paulaner @ XINTIANDI

DUSA Social Gathering/German Chamber Deutscher Stammtisch

BlueMarlin Xinghai Branch

German Chamber of Commerce in China

7170

ANNUAL REPORT 2018

Under the theme “Controlling for Sustainability”, the 6th Si-no-German Controlling Forum provided a good platform for both controllers and non-controllers on how to keep an economic, eco-logical, and social bottom line for their business in China. More than 80 finance & controlling managers and professionals as well as non-financial executives attended the event. The event was moderated by Dr. Zhen Huang | Managing Partner at Shanghai De Chen Enterprise Management Consulting Co. Ltd, Mr. Alexan-der Prautzsch | Director of Tax Services – China Tax & Business Advisory Services, PwC and Ms. Sarah Oemmelen | Tax Manager at China Tax & Business Advisory Services, PwC. The two key note speeches were held by Mr. Carsten Arntz, Head of Finance of SAIC Volkswagen, and Mr. Alexander Tobert, CFO of Kern Liebers China. Six separate workshops on both traditional topics, such as plant/project/cost controlling, as well as specific issues including environmental compliance, provided participants with the oppor-tunity to discuss business sustainability and controlling.

In the afternoon hours, Mr. Francesco Ingarsia, CFO of Schaeffler Greater China and Leader of ICV Work Group East China, showed results of ICV Studies on Green Controlling in German speaking countries and shared his ideas with the audience for enhancing controlling for sustainability in China. The event ended with an insight panel discussion on controlling for sustainability. The 6th installment of the Sino-German Controlling Forum was jointly organized by the German Chamber of Commerce in China | Shanghai and Shanghai De Chen Enterprise Management Con-sulting Co. Ltd. The forum was supported by the International Association of Controllers (ICV) and CA Controller Akademie from Germany as well as, among others, by the Taicang Round Table TRT, DUSA European Association Suzhou, Changzhou International Manager Forum. Schaeffler Greater China, KERN LIEBERS-China Group, and Dorsey & Whitney LLP were official sponsorship partners for the event.

FORUMS AND EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

7th September

6th Sino-German Controlling Forum in Suzhou: “Controlling for Sustainability“

On 13th September, around 100 HR practitioners and seasoned business leaders attended the 8th “China HR Tomorrow – The Sum-mit” held at Qube Hotel Hongqiao. This year’s topic “New World, New Work – How to Attract New Talents”, provided insights into key elements of how to cope with a changing work and talent environment. After an inspiring keynote speech by Christian Kuhna | Artgym Head of APAC, one of the main focal points in the morning session were millennials, their motivation, integration and retention at the workplace. A panel that included four millen-

nials aand one HR Manager, moderated by Prof. Han Zheng, was among the most well received elements of the summit. An array of various workshops focused on topics ranging from current legal updates to the influence of AI on recruitment. Participants took advantage of several networking opportunities and got introduced to the wide arrange of services of the sponsors on site, among them main sponsor DirectHR, who have been loyally supporting the HR Summit for the third year in a row.

13th September

8th China HR Tomorrow – The Summit:“New World, New Work – How to Attract New Talents”

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The Sino-German Job Fairs continue to serve as a valued recruit-ment channel for German companies in the Greater Shanghai area. The availability of around 300 open positions during the last Sino-German Job Fairs in Shanghai reflects the continuous high demand of German companies for qualified local staff. Each Sino-German Job Fair attracted at least 1,800 students and young professionals looking for career opportunities at German companies in China. Main sponsors in 2018 included Bosch China, Continental and, Hilti.

The Sino-German Job Fair connects students and young profes-sionals from various backgrounds with German employers from different industries that seek to recruit qualified candidates. Through face-to-face interactions with job seekers, employers can arrange on-site interviews with multiple candidates at an established platform commonly known among Chinese and for-eign professionals from the Sino-German business community.

Sino-German Job Fairs

The German Chamber of Commerce Shanghai had the pleasure of hosting the 9th Sino-German Communication Forum at the German Center in Pudong. The event, partnered with Unity, the German Center, Unicepta and Storymaker, focused on innova-tion communication. Speeches from Martina Suter | Head of Marketing APAC & Business Development Manager at Swisslog, Reiner Becker | Senior Director Mobility Services of BYTON, and Rosanna Terminio | General Manager at Asecorp China, engaged the guests to reconsider the way we traditionally think about communication and look at the ways that digitalization in China and the development of new technologies such as AI, are being implement through communication. We thank our event partners and participants for attending and look forward to next year’s Communication Forum.

16th October

9th Sino-German Communication Forum: “The Future of Communication – Innovation Storytelling and How New Technologies Impact the Ways We Communicate”

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2018 was a busy year for trade fairs. AHK Greater China – Shang-hai organized a variety of joint company participations to support German companies in the Chinese market. The year started off with the International Machine Vision Pavilion on VISION CHINA, a sub-show of Laser World of Photonics China, held from 14th to 16th March 2018. Nine exhibitors joined on 180m2.

The next highlight was the German Pavilion on China Wind Power 2018, which was held in Beijing from 17th to 19th October 2018. 16 exhibitors showcased their products on 288m2.

The China International Import Expo (CIIE) was held from 5th to 10th November 2018 in Shanghai, China. Germany joined as one of the 12 guests of honor, on both the state and company level. Next to 170 German companies, Germany’s National Pavilion ran under the theme of “Meet Germany”, displaying a selection of Germany’s most innovative and high-quality products as well as several other aspects of Germany, such as food and soccer.

At the opening ceremony, the ribbon was formally cut (from left to right) by Dr. Juergen Friedrich, CEO of German Trade and Invest (GTAI), Sandra Weeser, Member of German Parliament, Simone Pohl, Delegate and Chief Representative of the Delegation of German Industry & Commerce Shanghai, Christian Hirte, Parlia-mentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economics and Energy, Dr. Eric Schweitzer, President of the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), and Dr. Clemens von Goetze, German Ambassador to China. On 8th November 2018, Jan

Jovy, General Manager of the German Industry and Commerce Shanghai and Deputy of the Delegate, spoke on behalf of the Dele-gation of German Industry & Commerce at the “Shenzhen Sourcing Matchmaking Meeting”, which connected over 100 purchasers from Shenzhen with international suppliers. At the event, 20 agreements were signed; among them were the German companies Trumpf China Co. Ltd., Siemens AG and Toennies Food China Ltd.

During the CIIE, Germany’s National Pavilion also offered a platform for a series of events: The Sino-German Start-up day on 8th November 2018 demonstrated how cooperation between accelerators and corporations in the start-up realm can create win-win situations for all. On 9th November, representatives from the leading German companies Bayer, Lanxess, Evonik, and TÜV Rheinland came together for a panel discussion at the German Pavilion to share their experience and best practices from their companies’ CSR projects in China.

14th-16th March

Vision China 17th-19th October

China Wind Power 5th - 10th November

Trade Fair Highlights “Meet Germany” at the First CIIE

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4th June | Taicang

Forum on Innovation and Development of Dual System Localization and Annual Meeting of AHK German Dual Vocational Education Union

18th September | Wuhan

VETnet Forum on Sino-German Vocational Training and Education Cooperation

28th November | Ningbo

Signing Ceremony of the Strategic Cooperation between AHK Shanghai and Ningbo Education Bureau

26th January | Shanghai

AHK Vocational Education Annual Meeting 2017 & Unveiling Ceremony of AHK Sino-German Chemical Vocational Training Base

26th January | Shanghai

Signing Ceremony of the Strategic Cooperation between AHK Shanghai and Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) of the People’s Republic of China

30th March | Wuxi

Cooperation for Mutual Benefit, Development with Innovation – AHK Forum on the Research of the Modern Training System in the Sino-German Cooperation

1th June | Beijing

Participation in the Open Day of German Embassy “Craftsmanship and High Technology – Quality made in Germany ” to present the German Dual Vocational Education

HIGHLIGHTS IN RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING & DUAL VOCATIONAL TRAINING

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For an overview over the More than a Market initiative and to download the 2018 More than a Market publication, you may also visit our website: www.morethanamarket.cn

31st May

More than a Market Awards 2018In its third year, 100 CSR projects were submitted for awards in five categories: small, medium and large companies as well as “Outstanding Supply Chain Management” and “Social Inclusion”. All these projects were showcased in the international, bilingual More than a Market publication. Based on criteria such as relevance, creativity, transferability and sustainability, 31 projects stood out and joined the short list. On 31st May, after a careful evaluation by a jury including experts and business celebrities from both Germany and China, one project in each of the four categories received the More than a Market award for outstanding social engagement.

This year’s winners of the More than a Market Awards were, in the category “Small Enterprises” NingboSilk Trend Garments with its “PMX Summer Kindergarten”, in the category “Medium Enterprises” Festo China by supporting the “WorldSkill” competition, in the category “Large Enterprises”, BASF China for their “BASF Kids Lab”, in the category for “Outstanding Supply Chain Management” METRO Jinjiang Cash & Carry and their “Star Farm” project, and finally, in the category “Social Inclusion”, Changsha Bach’s Bakery was awarded the prize for its “Bach’s Bakery Program”.

Just like in previous years, Ms. Liz Mohn, Vice-Chair of the Executive Board of Bertelsmann Stiftung, welcomed participants with an introduction speech. The event was honored to welcome Ms. Rosaline May Lee, Dean of Entrepreneurship and Management at Shanghai Tech University as keynote-speaker at the Awards Gala.

Also, one of the co-initiators of More than a Market, Mr. Rolf Koehler took his leave from an active role in the initiative. To honor his exceptional engagement and personal dedication to More than a Market, he was presented with the “Award of Honor”.

About the InitiativeGerman companies benefit from an excellent reputation in China. They are perceived as reliable, responsible business partners and stand for high quality products, as well as innovation capability. Next to being good business partners, they often cherish a culture of care and have exemplary working facilities.

These values are important factors for future success of German companies in China. To grow stronger roots in Chinese society, many businesses engage in Corporate Social Responsibility projects, responding to employees’ needs as well as environmental and social challenges in their communities and society at large. In 2015, the German Chamber of Commerce in China | Shanghai, Bertelsmann Stiftung and the German Consulate General in Shanghai had launched an initiative in the Shanghai business community to strengthen this new perception of the business environment here, namely that China is considered as more than just a market opportunity. Due to a very positive response, in 2016, the chambers and German business communities in Northern China and South and Southwest China joined, expanding the initiative into a nationwide initiative for all German companies in China.

What are the goals of the More than a Market Initiative?• Create stronger relationships and partnerships between

German and Chinese organizations and people• Bundle the existing social engagement efforts of the German

business community and make them more visible

• Catalyze further joint action among the German Chamber members

• Award a prize to recognize and honor companies, which set a positive example with their social engagement.

Overview of the Initiative in 2018During its fourth year, the initiative gained further impetus. For the third time, the More than a Market awards were held China wide with German companies from the North, East and South & Southwest of China. The successful development of the initiative and fruitful cooperation led to 100 submitted projects in 2018, from companies which account for some 500,000 jobs in China. The Awards Gala was preceded by a CSR Forum comprising an inspiring series of breakout sessions and idea labs open to anybody interested in developing ideas and sharing experiences with CSR projects in China. Bertelsmann Stiftung compiled a publication to share the variety of projects that entered the competition, once again in English and Chinese. To provide more opportunities to think about ways to increase social responsibility in business, the German Chamber offered Business and Society Workshops and established cross-topical workshops that integrate CSR topics into the usual workshop series. The More than a Market initiative also promoted business and NGO interaction by once again inviting NGOs to the Chamber’s social marketplace at the More than a Market Forum.

The More than a Market Initiative

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Gold SupportersGold Supporters

Forum Supporters Beverage Supporters Media Supporters Venue Supporters

Silver Supporters

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9th November

Panel Discussion on Social Engagement at the CIIE German Pavilion

Representatives from leading German companies came together for a panel discussion at the German Pavilion to share their experience and best practices from their companies’ CSR projects in China. The distinguished panelists were Ms. Celina Chew, President of Bayer Greater China Group, Mr. Ulf Dressler, VP Corporate Communications APAC at Lanxess Chemical China, Ms. Grace Li, Head of Communi-cations at Evonik North Asia Pacific, and Mr. Tao Li, VP Strategy, Marketing, Business Development at TÜV Rheinland Greater China, which was moderated by Dr. Sigrid Winkler, Executive Chamber Manager, German Chamber of Commerce in China | Shanghai. The audience learned about the panelists’ CSR strategies and the roles that different stakeholders such as employees play in CSR projects.

13th December

Weihnachtskammertreffen 2018 – “ Virtuell oder wahr: Wie viel Mensch braucht das Halleluja?”

At the traditional December Chamber Meeting with festive charac-ter, the audience was able to participate in a silent charity auction, organized by the Kids Football Project, where participants could bid for t-shirts signed by German first league footballers and other related articles, such as autographs, balls and caps. As in the six previous years, at the end of the evening, the German Chamber of Commerce in China | Shanghai was proud to present a donation check of RMB 100,000 to Ms. Guesten from Pfrang Foundation to support their work in Jiangsu province.

31st May

More than a Market Forum 2018

In order to give participants room for sharing their CSR expe-rience as well as catalyzing new CSR project ideas, the Awards Gala was preceded by an afternoon of vibrant workshop sessions and panel discussions: The More than a Market Fo-rum. Dr. Fang Jin, Senior Research Fellow at the Development Research Center of the State Council and Deputy Secretary General of China Development Research Foundation, honored the guests with a keynote speech at this year’s forum opening. The Forum’s workshop sessions offered participants plenty of room to share and discuss different aspects of their CSR strate-gies – capturing topics such as how to embed CSR into the supply chain and into their whole value chain, how to communicate CSR projects or how to prepare companies for the inclusion of people with disabilities. Participants of the first panel discussions shared their experience of cooperating with social organizations for CSR activities and the second discussed what China expects from in-ternational enterprises. Also, an Idea Lab was offered to inspire participants to sketch and develop collaborative projects. An NGO marketplace enriched the Forum, providing business and society partners with opportunities of match-making.

22nd January

Growing stronger roots in Chinese society“Female Change Makers” – Women and Social Entrepreneurship

In this workshop, female leaders from social enterprises and or-ganizations shared their personal stories of social and corporate engagement for change in China. The topic mainly focused on the personal side of interesting women who are socially engaged in Shanghai, how they become a “change maker” and what kind of challenges they have taken in their career development. We were honored to welcome Marina Kalnitski, Job Coach at Taicang In-clusion Factory, and Cecile Cavoizy, Executive Director, Finance & Strategy of Shanghai Young Bakers as speakers of the event.

1st August

The Chamber joint FU Berlin and Fudan University Summer School

The German Chamber was invited to co-host a one-day CSR work-shop and support the students’ CSR awards at the Sino-German Summer School on Global Politics organized by Freie Universität Berlin at Fudan University. After a discussion about Chinas new implemented environmental protection law and its impacts on foreign companies and their supply chain management the students entered a small competition where they developed their own CSR project ideas.

18th October

Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility and Decent Work

The German Chamber of Commerce | Shanghai was invited to or-ganize a panel discussion among German company representatives in a forum on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Decent Work in Shenzhen. The forum was jointly organized by the Embassy of Sweden and Beijing Caring Little Bird Cultural Communication Center. The panel discussion featured Ms. Eva Wu, Assistant Pro-ject Manager Corporate Development at TÜV Rheinland, Mr. Frank Chen, Plant Operation Director at Trolli Guangzhou Confectionery, Mr. Kemal Ayyildiz, Chief Representative at Deutsche Telekom, and Mr. Keagan Rubel, Operations Director at Telekom’s partner company epi Consulting.

If you would like to:• Stay informed about the More than a Market Forum and

Awards Gala• Stay informed about our next Business and Society

Workshops on CSR topics• Find partners for CSR projects in China• Find out more about sponsorship opportunities in and

around our More than a Market initiative

Please contact Ms. Elisabeth Bauer: bauer.elisabeth@sh.china.ahk.de; +86 (0)21 3858 5859

Staying up to date on our More than a Market initiative

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Gold Partners

Diamond Partner

Flight Partner

Platinum Partners

Hotel Venue Partner Media Partner Music & Stage PartnerHotel Room Partner

Silver Partners

Beverage Partners

This year’s 21st German Ball took guests on their own space odyssey. Embarking on an interstellar exploration at the Jin MaoTower in Shanghai’s Pudong district, more than 1,200 guests experienced “A Galactic Night”. To begin on this galactic journey, the guests made their way through the entrance, where they encountered hues of violet, blue, black, and metallics, giving a futuristic feel. In the foyer, guests patiently awaited the start of the ball and were welcomedwith refreshments and delicious canapés, while photographers captured their pictures in their futuristic space garments. The ball was officially opened with a spectacular performance by Kiters dance studio. Guests then excitedly entered the ball rooms and promptly joined the opening waltz for the festivities to begin! This year’s buffet was – as always – plentiful and offered guests an opportunity to eat many “out of this world’s” delicacies, including copious amounts of seafood on display, as well as live cooking stations, where food was made to order at the guests’ request. Guests at the Dinner & Dance on the 56th floor enjoyed a perfectly selected gourmet menu. After the meal, all guest joined together to enjoy lavish desserts of all kinds.

It isn’t a German Ball without the driving sounds of great bands! In the two ballrooms, Lounge Society, Pearls, and Ten Ahead got the guests up on their feet, with Lounge Society gracing both ballrooms with popular music from today and the past. At midnight, like in previous years, the lucky draw brought guests to the staircase to see if they had won some amazing prizes, such as a Junghans Automatic Wrist Watch. Photos of course were available for sale on sight, but guests could also access their photos on the German Ball website. The Chamber Team would like to express their thanks to Mr. Felix Heimberg, the fantastic moderator of the evening and all the bands who made the night interstellar. Thank you to the hardworking staff at the Grand Hyatt, the generous sponsors, and of course, the enthusiasm and excitement of the guests. Without all of you, this Galactic Night would not have been possible.

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11th May

Spargelzeit- White Asparagus DinnerPaulaner Bräuhaus @ Raffles City Changning

1st September

14th Welcome Back Party at the EurocampusEurocampus German and French School Shanghai

Every year, the German Chamber of Commerce in China Shanghai hosts a large “Welcome Back Party” after the summer vacation, in cooperation with the German-French school. This year’s “Welcome Back Party “ was held on 1st September and welcomed around 650 guests from German and French families.

Despite the heavy rain, numerous visitors joined the party and enjoyed a wide selection of German and international food and drinks. Families caught up with old friends after the long summer break and an entertaining program offered activities for all ages, ranging from face painting, a lucky draw and cartoon drawings to VR car driving. Performing at the venue, the student band harvested great applause from families and the DJ’s music rounded off a relaxing and enjoyable late afternoon.

23rd May

Summer Inter-Chamber MixerPaulaner Bräuhaus @ Raffles City Changning

5th December

Winter Inter-Chamber MixerPaulaner Bräuhaus @ Raffles City Changning

Every second Tuesday of the month

Deutscher Stammtisch ShanghaiPaulaner Bräuhaus @ XINTIANDI, Shanghai

Every third Wednesday of the month

Young Professional Stammtisch ShanghaiPaulaner Bräuhaus @ XINTIANDI, Shanghai

Bi-monthly

Alumni Stammtisch Different German Restaurants in Shanghai

Every first Tuesday of the month

Taicang Stammtisch

Every second Tuesday of the month

Deutscher Stammtisch Suzhou

Every third Tuesday of the month

German Chamber Corner Hangzhou

SOCIAL EVENTS

Every two months on the last Wednesday

Deutscher Stammtisch Nanjing

July 13th & Sept 14th

German Business Community – Get together in Qingdao

PublisherGerman Chamber of Commerce in China | Shanghai 29/F Gopher Center | No. 757 Mengzi Road | Huangpu District | Shanghai 200023 | P.R. ChinaTel + 86 21 5081 2266 Fax +86 21 5081 2009 www.china.ahk.de

Concept and AuthorMs. Olivia Helvadjian – Senior Communications ManagerGerman Chamber of Commerce in China | Shanghai

Layout & DesignWibke Schäfer – wbksdsgn.de

IMPRINT

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GUIDED ACCURATELY

Bullseye Shot – with usIt looks so easy – a target, an arrow – and shot directly into the bullseye. But it is not that easy. It also applies to the conquest of a new, foreign market. Besides a calm hand, patience, strength and nerves of steel, a good preparation is needed. For permanent success, the whole process has to be studied in order to aim at the target at the decisive moment and send the arrow on its journey.

We cannot take over everything, but we can show you how to be best prepared, what the business environment impacts are, and what challenges and opportunities you will find in the People‘s Republic of China.

For over 20 years, we have been accompanying German and European companies on their way to the Middle Kingdom. With lifeblood and passion, we always keep your success in mind – so the arrow never misses the goal.

www.roedl.com/china www.roedl.de/china

As attorneys, tax advisers, management and IT consultants and auditors, we are present with 111 own offi ces in 51 countries. Worldwide, our clients trust our 4,700 colleagues.

Bullseye Shot – with usBullseye Shot – with us

GUIDED ACCURATELY

Bullseye Shot – with usIt looks so easy – a target, an arrow – and shot directly into the bullseye. But it is not that easy. It also applies to the conquest of a new, foreign market. Besides a calm hand, patience, strength and nerves of steel, a good preparation is needed. For permanent success, the whole process has to be studied in order to aim at the target at the decisive moment and send the arrow on its journey.

We cannot take over everything, but we can show you how to be best prepared, what the business environment impacts are, and what challenges and opportunities you will find in the People‘s Republic of China.

For over 20 years, we have been accompanying German and European companies on their way to the Middle Kingdom. With lifeblood and passion, we always keep your success in mind – so the arrow never misses the goal.

www.roedl.com/china www.roedl.de/china

As attorneys, tax advisers, management and IT consultants and auditors, we are present with 111 own offi ces in 51 countries. Worldwide, our clients trust our 4,700 colleagues.

Bullseye Shot – with usBullseye Shot – with us

German Chamber of Commerce in China

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The German Chamber of Commerce in China | Shanghai would like to thank their Yearly Sponsors of the Year 2018