American Chamber of Commerce in Germany e.V. (AmCham Germany)’s Post

The United States and South Carolina are some of the most important export partners for the Free State of Bavaria and for Germany. I had the privilege of representing #Southcarolina at IHK für München und Oberbayern Wirtschaftstalk USA (Business Talk USA) on behalf of South Carolina Department of Commerce in #Munich, which brought together the German Chambers of Commerce Abroad (AHK) New York, the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, and the US Consulate General in Munich for a panel discussion featuring distinguished keynote speaker Wolfgang Bosbach on the future economic relations with the #UnitedstatesofAmerica. The USA is and has been a powerful economic partner for #Germany and for #Bavaria. South Carolina has been and will continue to be a prime location for #economicinvestment for Bavarian, German and European companies in a variety of industries. #WirtschaftstalkUSA was a great opportunity to hear about the challenges, concerns, and interests of Bavarian companies navigating #economicdevelopment in the United States, as well as to learn what must be done to insure that our German-American/Bavarian-American partnerships and alliances remain stronger than ever. The motto of the IHK is #Gemeinsam (#together). Together we are stronger. Together, we are smarter. Together, we will work to face future challenges for #transatlanticconnection with solutions that continue to grow and benefit our transatlantic partnerships and joint economic developments.

https://lnkd.in/debEUJfD De-risking from China? Germany is not Putting Its Money Where Its Mouth Is  by Axel Berkofsky 05 Jun 2024 Despite Annalena Baerbock's strong rhetoric and calls for de-risking, Germany's economic ties with China remain robust, revealing a gap between policy and practice. Berlin is talking the talk alright but is failing to walk the walk. Germany’s 2023 China strategy paper talks about the objective and indeed necessity of ‘de-risking’ the German economy from China. 10 months later, however, not much, if any, German industry and business de-risking is taking place. The German China strategy paper was commissioned by Berlin’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by the very outspoken and in China undoubtedly very unpopular Annalena Baerbock. Ever since she referred to China as a ‘dictatorship’ on US television in September last year, she is undoubtedly the very opposite of a welcome visitor in Beijing.  

Andreas Fulda critically addresses the profound and adverse implications of Germany's ingrained alignment with China, underscoring the diminishing sovereignty, economic self-reliance, and civil freedoms Germany faces. Central to Fulda's critique is the notion of 'strategic blindness' that Germany exhibits towards China. Germany paradoxically looks China as a partner, competitor, and systemic rival, yet overlooks the authoritarian undertones characterizing Xi Jinping's regime. Fulda points out the German government's hesitancy in acknowledging and counteracting China's multifaceted influence efforts, including covert diplomacy and tech-based coercion. This oversight, he argues, has rendered Germany vulnerable on both political and economic fronts. The discussion highlights key episodes signifying Germany's compromised stance due to its China ties. Advocating for a strategic shift, Fulda suggests that Germany could regain its strategic autonomy by partially decoupling from China and seeking out diversified trade and economic alliances. Amidst these discussions, Latin America is pinpointed as a region filled with potential for Germany, although not without significant limitations. Despite its rich resources, several factors deter Germany from immediately viewing Latin America as a fitting counter to China's dominance. A primary deterrent is the vast scale of the Chinese market, outshining Latin American countries in terms of GDP and population, thereby offering a more profitable arena for German investments and trade. Additionally, China's superior technological landscape and manufacturing prowess eclipse Latin America's uneven tech development, making China a more appealing partner for Germany's high-tech sectors. China's strategic investments and loans in Latin America signify its expanding influence, making European penetration tougher. This is exemplified by the Belt and Road Initiative, showcasing China's bold global strategy contrasted with Germany's more guarded stance. Furthermore, the predictability and efficiency that China's economy presents is something Latin America struggles to match, hampered by its internal political instability and economic inconsistency. Latin America, despite its resource wealth and potential as a strategic partner, is hindered by economic disparities, China's regional dominance, and a varied technological landscape from being considered a viable alternative to China. For Germany to seriously contemplate a pivot towards Latin America, an extensive strategic reassessment would be necessary, encompassing economic realities and geopolitical dynamics. #globalaffairs #germany #china #latinamerica #politics #economics #strategicblindness #strategicautonomy #decoupling Royal United Services Institute @Andreas Fulda

Yesterday, the #IHKHeadquarters in Munich was filled with lots of elites focusing on China-German cooperation and commerce. It was a great atmosphere and it was a huge pleasure for me to participate in this very successful summit on China-German business cooperation. Many topics were discussed, including 💡 the current high-tech and innovation Centers in China, 💡 bilateral logistics development and 💡 the challenges of US sanctions and geopolitical conflicts for German companies doing business with China. The opportunities and challenges for Germany as a result of China's transformation and the promising future sectors of the Chinese market were also discussed in depth in diff. Panels. The factual data presented by the experts either from the economic world or from the National Relationship Studies (NRS) showed that the current bilateral relationship is not positive enough. I was quite impressed by the speech from Prof. Heilmann for the Topic "Business in China under the pressure of geopolitical conflicts: consequences for European companies". Based on the principle of #deRisking without #deCoupling, which Germany has always emphasized, several very practical advices were given out straight away. Frankly speaking, The businessman's mindset is much more efficient. Only with a proactive mindset, optimally together with a good overseas strategy and precise positioning, finding the right partners, and improving own adaptability and flexibility of the enterprise, can they make a breakout in a chaotic and sophisticated situation. Germany's high expensive energy and raw materials, endless and increasingly burdensome bureaucracy, and the extraordinarily high labor and time costs of Germany's regulatory and tax compliance system can all be turned into the driving force for German companies to do more overseas investing. We all need to move with each other to form a linkage, which is the real interpretation of uninterrupted globalization. 🔓 Be brave and with less hesitancy. Yesterday's event attracted many People in common consensus. It was great to meet up with a lot of old friends and also make a lot of new ones, esp. with so many industry & research experts. Yingnan Yao Sheng Hu Mohammad Kabany Bert Zamzow Christophe Chevalier Damian Maib Karl Wehner Michaela Schenk Uwe Michel Prof. Dr. Patrick Glauner Harry Rogasch I chatted with several outstanding AHK representatives in Greater China. Hannes Farlock 范珞康 Linda Blechert Martin Klose After staying and living in greater China for quite a long time, they still like China very much and prefer to continue to live and work in China. It means already quite a lot for me. 🤗 Thx for the great Event again! If you wanna learn more about China, come to reach me out. We connect you with the true China. #GreaterChinaDay #BizNetworking #BusinessOpportunities #ChinaGermanExchange #Matchmaking #DelegationinChina

There is no shortage of challenges for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as he embarks on a critical three-day state visit to China, accompanied by a delegation of German DAX CEOs (where are the SMEs?). 1. Germany's heavy reliance on China as its top trading partner poses a significant challenge. While this economic partnership has brought mutual benefits, it also creates vulnerabilities and concerns about over-reliance on the Chinese market. 2. As Germany seeks to reduce its economic dependence on China, it faces geopolitical tensions that may strain bilateral relations. Balancing economic interests with political concerns, such as human rights issues or territorial disputes, presents a delicate challenge for both countries. 3. Germany and China are engaged in intense competition in key technological sectors, such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and renewable energy. Ensuring fair competition while safeguarding intellectual property rights is a critical challenge in their relationship since decades. 4. Aligning Germany's strategic interests with China's growing global influence amidst initiatives like the Belt and Road Project. Finding common ground on issues like climate change, global governance, and security requires careful diplomacy and negotiation. 5. Germany places a strong emphasis on human rights and democratic principles, while China's authoritarian regime often clashes with these values. Balancing economic interests with human rights concerns presents a significant challenge for German-China relations. hashtag #China hashtag #Germany hashtag #Scholz

Minister of economic affairs and deputy prime minister of Germany's most populated state, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Mona Neubaur opening the Aussenwirtschaftstag NRW: The solution for Germany is more diversification in its import structure. De-coupling is not a solution, because we would loose one tool to propagate western values, and German economy is dependent on world trade. De-risking in the supply chain will be more necessary than ever. Ralf Stoffels, president of IHK NRW: Western values are best propagated via the concrete, human-to-human, international business relationships that especially German Mittelstand-companies maintain daily.

Germany and France have to form a common front toward China Insubstantial Ukraine pledges will not justify watering down trade complaints Philippe Le Corre April 11, 2024 Over the years, Beijing has mastered the art of playing key members of the European Union off against each other to deflect pressure and advance its own agenda. Today though, with crises multiplying, it is essential that European leaders approach China in a coordinated manner. In a year full of important elections and other milestones, France and Germany in particular need to see eye to eye about talking to and dealing with Beijing. In the run-up to the uncertain transatlantic context surrounding the U.S. election in November, both Scholz and Macron want to maintain direct lines to Xi as they vie for European leadership. But instead of competing and pitching their business communities against each other, the two men should be working together to restore a pan-European stance toward China as in 2019. This will be key to the EU exerting global influence in the midst of toughening U.S.-China competition.

Discussion on the importance of transatlantic relations in Düsseldorf As part of the celebrations to mark the 248th Independence Day of the United States of America, Oliver Hermes, President & CEO of the Wilo Group, and US Consul General Pauline Kao met for discussions at the racecourse in Düsseldorf. The event on the occasion of what is probably the United States’ most important national holiday marks one of the highlights of the current NRW-USA year. Under the motto “A perfect match”, players from politics and business have been drawing attention to the importance of strong transatlantic relations since June 2023. “In times of unbridled protectionism, politics and business are under particular pressure. Multilateral structures and processes are and remain essential for efficient and sensible economic and social action around the world”, explains Hermes. “The Wilo Group maintains strong transatlantic relations and will step these up in the future. The Independence Day event and the NRW-USA year as a whole are good opportunities to celebrate and strengthen these relationships.” Wilo has been active in the North American market for more than 20 years. In 2022, the regional headquarters in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, was inaugurated, where Wilo USA’s activities are concentrated. Other sites include Collierville, Tennessee, and Sandfort, Florida. With around 500 employees and recent sales growth of 20 per cent, Wilo has long exemplified best practice in the German-American business community. U.S. Consulate General Duesseldorf #TransatlanticRelations #NRWUSA #BusinessRelations #IndependenceDay #USConsulate