Illustration: Chen Xia/GT
With both the EU and China seeking to drive industrial transformation and address global challenges in a rapidly evolving geopolitical and technological landscape,
MKsports Hannover Messe 2025, one of the world's leading trade fairs for mechanical and electrical engineering, has emerged as a pivotal platform for showcasing the immense potential for industrial cooperation between these two economic powerhouses.
With artificial intelligence (AI) as a main topic, Hannover Messe 2025, which kicked off in Hannover, Germany, on Monday and will run until Friday, attracted more than 3,800 exhibitors from about 60 countries and regions. Chinese exhibitors accounted for about one-quarter of the participants, second only to the host Germany, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
The substantial Chinese presence at the event underscores China's advancements toward an intelligent and sustainable industrial transformation, highlighting the potential for industrial cooperation between China and the EU.
Admittedly, as Chinese companies make significant strides in fields such as AI, industrial robotics and new energy, competition between China and the EU has become more pronounced. However, this competition should not overshadow the fact that the relationship between the two is complex and multifaceted, with substantial room for cooperation. Both sides share a common interest in upholding multilateralism, fostering industrial transformation, and combating global issues like climate change and economic instability. By engaging in constructive dialogue and meaningful consultation, China and the EU can not only address their differences but also create opportunities for collaboration that will enhance mutual benefits.
In the area of industrial digital transformation, the complementary strengths of China and the EU are particularly prominent. The EU's solid industrial foundation and advanced technical standards, combined with China's extensive application scenarios and innovation ecosystem, create a fertile ground for collaboration. Take the application of AI in manufacturing as an example. German companies' expertise in integrating AI into precision manufacturing processes, when paired with Chinese companies' experience in implementing AI algorithms in real-world scenarios, could lead to the development of more advanced and efficient smart factory solutions.
Meanwhile, the green manufacturing sector presents significant opportunities for China-EU cooperation. In light of the global push for carbon neutrality, China's expertise in large-scale new-energy equipment manufacturing can be effectively combined with the EU's leadership in carbon footprint management and circular economy technologies.
In the hydrogen energy industry, the integration of China's electrolyzer technologies with Germany's advancements in hydrogen storage and transportation can lead to the development of comprehensive hydrogen energy solutions. Joint research between Chinese and EU institutions in carbon capture and storage could be translated into practical industrial applications.
Furthermore, China and the EU are highly complementary in emerging fields such as electric vehicles, biopharmaceuticals and the circular economy. Reaching consensus on technical standards and industrial chain integration in these areas can set a valuable example for global industrial upgrading.
China has consistently adopted an open attitude in response to EU concerns. In recent years, China has introduced policies to attract foreign investment, including lowering market access thresholds, optimizing the business environment and strengthening intellectual property protection, which continue to create opportunities for European companies.
Of course, to fully realize these cooperation opportunities, open and pragmatic mechanisms are crucial. Of course, to fully realize these cooperation opportunities, open and pragmatic mechanisms are crucial. Technologically, China and the EU could jointly establish innovation platforms such as research centers and laboratories to enhance collaborative research and innovation in key technological areas. In terms of market cooperation, both sides can strengthen collaboration in third-party markets to jointly explore emerging opportunities. Additionally, cooperation in standard-setting and intellectual property protection is also crucial to ensure a fair competitive environment.
The global economy is facing dual challenges: the widening technological divide and the diversification of development needs. If China-EU cooperation can focus on building a more inclusive technology diffusion system, a more resilient industrial collaboration network and a more sustainable knowledge-sharing mechanism, it can truly become an "economic transformer" connecting developed and developing countries.
This transformation requires not only technological innovation but also institutional innovation, including reshaping the global governance framework for intellectual property, establishing a new system for technical assistance and innovating multilateral development financing tools. Only in this way can the technological achievements displayed at Hannover Messe be translated into real driving forces for the common development of humanity.
