In late March, shortly after German Chancellor Merz's visit to China and as Sino-German cooperation heated up again, we led nearly 20 entrepreneurs from East China to Germany. The eight-day trip took us from Frankfurt to Berlin. Frankly, this was not a simple inspection tour, but a journey of in-depth understanding of "systems."

01.

Standing on the shoulders of giants, we see not just "advanced" technologies, but also "accumulated knowledge and experience."

Stepping into BASF, a global chemical giant with over 150 years of history, we learned about its Verbund integrated system. Simply put, it allows different units to "help each other out," minimizing energy and material waste. Interestingly, at the time of our visit, BASF's integrated plant in Zhanjiang had just begun full-scale production.

As the entrepreneurs watched, they remarked: true competitiveness is never about how advanced a particular technology is, but about being able to link research and development, transformation, application, and branding into a long-term, efficient chain.

SmartFactory OWL, an Industry 4.0 lab jointly established by the Fraunhofer Institute, doesn't have that showy, high-tech feel; instead, it's very practical. They specialize in helping small and medium-sized enterprises validate technologies and provide training. One of our entrepreneurs said after visiting, "Today's journey wasn't just a tour; it felt more like disassembling the underlying structure of industrial civilization."

At Autostadt, the Volkswagen City, this feeling is amplified. The world's largest single-building car factory, with new cars waiting to be delivered inside its glass towers, showcases how industry is "expressed," from gasoline to electric vehicles, from robotic arms to brand experiences.

In the classroom at Frankfurt Business School, professors provided an insightful and accessible analysis of Germany's Industry 4.0 development strategy; while a field trip to the Berlin Industrial Park brought the abstract theory to life in a tangible industrial landscape.

02.

From visits to discussions, cooperation intentions quietly took shape.

During the internal debriefing meeting, the entrepreneurs had an exceptionally lively discussion: How to localize the German experience? How to cultivate "hidden champions" in the industrial landscape of East China? These thoughts are being transformed into concrete action plans to drive the digital transformation of local enterprises.

03.

The system is the main competitive advantage

The biggest takeaway from this trip was the entrepreneurs' profound understanding of the word "system".

The Germans quietly dedicate themselves to one thing for many years—this statement was repeatedly confirmed in the exchanges between Frankfurt Business School and FOM University. From BASF's redefinition of the chemical industry to Nostima's food factory turning everyday food into a highly industrialized model, German companies are demonstrating not just a single technology, but their ability to integrate R&D, transformation, application, and branding into a long-term, integrated system.

This is the true secret of German manufacturing, and the most valuable asset brought back by entrepreneurs from East China.

The eight-day trip has ended, but the real "study" has just begun. I hope that what I take back this time is not just photos and business cards, but also a bit of patience for the long term.

If you've also been thinking about traveling and seeing the world—don't rush! Huazhi International organizes overseas study tours regularly, not just to Germany, but also to the Netherlands, France, Italy, the UK, the US, Southeast Asia, Japan, and more. The next trip might just be yours. If you're interested, feel free to chat with us anytime.