As part of Federal Minister Alois Rainer’s visit to China, the Sino-German Agricultural Centre (DCZ) organized a market briefing for the accompanying German business delegation. The event aimed to provide participants with up-to-date insights into developments in China’s agri-food market and to support German companies in positioning themselves strategically in an increasingly complex business environment.
The briefing was moderated by Michaela Böhme, Managing Director of the DCZ. In her opening remarks, she emphasized the continued importance of China for Germany’s agriculture and food sectors. With around 1.4 billion consumers, sustained growth in the food market, and its position as the world’s largest agricultural importer, China remains a market with significant business potential.
At the same time, she highlighted the profound changes in the economic and policy environment. While German companies benefited primarily from China’s modernization needs during the 2010s, Chinese policy today increasingly follows an industrial development approach aimed at strengthening domestic production, supporting national companies, and reducing external dependencies. These priorities are also reflected in China’s current 15th Five-Year Plan.
For international businesses, this means operating in a market environment characterized by intensified innovation competition, price pressure, local protectionism, and growing expectations for localization. Against this backdrop, new business models and strategic partnerships are becoming increasingly important.
The briefing featured five expert presentations that provided different perspectives on current developments in China’s agri-food sector:
- Robert Herzner, Chief Representative for Hong Kong and Southwest China at Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI), analyzed key trends in China’s food market and their strategic implications for German companies.
- Leely Zhang, Managing Director of DLG China, presented recent developments in China’s dairy and meat industries.
- Claudia Barkowsky, Managing Director of VDMA China, discussed the Chinese agricultural machinery market and the competitive position of German companies.
- David Lavorel, Business Advisor at the EU SME Centre, addressed practical challenges facing exporters and small and medium-sized enterprises and presented possible solutions.
- TIAN Ruifeng, Deputy Secretary General of the China Chain Store & Franchise Association (CCFA), provided insights into developments in China’s retail sector, consumer trends, and purchasing behavior.
The presentations highlighted that, despite changing market conditions, China remains an important future market for Germany’s agri-food industry. At the same time, business success increasingly depends on differentiated market strategies, a deep understanding of local market dynamics, and a long-term commitment to the Chinese market.
Through the market briefing, the DCZ provided German companies with insights into current market developments and fostered dialogue and exchange between business experts from both countries.
