Thirty-three years ago, Dr. Stamm from Germany arrived in Taicang, Jiangsu province with an experimental mindset, renting a small factory with six employees to produce automotive seatbelt springs. Today, Taicang hosts over 560 German-invested enterprises. Manufacturing German companies account for nearly 10% of the national total, including 60 hidden champions, creating more than 20 nationally pioneering and unique achievements in Sino-German cooperation. Over 1,000 German nationals now live and work in the city.

As the only "Sino-German Enterprise Cooperation Base" jointly awarded by China's Ministry of Commerce and Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Taicang has become a hub where domestic and foreign enterprises cluster for synergistic innovation and green development. The mutual empowerment between "German quality" and "Taicang manufacturing" outlines a vibrant picture of county-level economy under Chinese modernization, revealing the core formula behind the steady advancement of this "German enterprise hometown."

A single street can form a complete industrial chain in Taicang. Companies can find upstream and downstream technical partners within just a few kilometers. This efficient ecosystem, complete automotive supporting system, and mature business environment attracted Jiang Xiaohua, who returned after years of study and work in Germany, to establish XiaoKe ZhiXing (Taicang) Automotive Technology Co., Ltd. in 2023. The company focuses on R&D and manufacturing of core components for new energy vehicle active suspension systems.

What draws entrepreneurs like Jiang to Taicang is the remarkable fact that 70% of auto parts for a complete vehicle can be sourced from local suppliers. Located at the Yangtze River estuary, Taicang has gathered nearly 800 automotive component manufacturers. German enterprises in Taicang primarily specialize in high-end equipment manufacturing and auto parts, with approximately 70% being automotive-related, including numerous well-known German corporations.

The story of Taicang's German cooperation began over three decades ago. In 1993, Dr. Stamm, chairman of the century-old German family business Kern-Liebers, visited China and established Taicang Kern-Liebers Spring Co., Ltd. in a 400-square-meter rented factory with six employees. This initially small-scale operation planted the seeds of precision manufacturing in the local automotive industry chain.

As German enterprises increasingly integrated with Taicang's local economy, the city gradually built a comprehensive automotive parts supply chain covering engine power systems, chassis transmission systems, and electronic control systems. The "70% local supporting ratio" has become an industrial reality.

In Taicang, automotive mold enterprises are transitioning from "production according to drawings" to "synchronous development" with automakers, leveraging responsive local supply chains and solid technical foundations. Such deep integration significantly enhances industrial chain resilience, creating strong developmental momentum and fostering a more open and shared industrial ecosystem.

Synergistic innovation continues to revitalize industrial clusters. On January 30, TÜV Rheinland (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. officially signed its Phase III project in Taicang. As one of the world's top ten inspection, testing, and certification organizations, TÜV Rheinland was attracted by Taicang's distinct manufacturing characteristics. The city's complete industrial chain generates massive testing demands, making the new operation center a crucial addition to the productive services sector.

This precise supply-demand matching exemplifies the dynamic development of Taicang's German enterprise cluster. Currently, Taicang is constructing a "3+3" modern industrial system comprising three pillar industries (high-end equipment, advanced materials, modern logistics and trade) and three distinctive industries (aerospace, biomedicine, cultural tourism). The continuous infusion of "German elements" brings new vitality to these industrial sectors.

At the production base of Berman Group in Taicang, modern production lines operate at high speed while Chinese and German technical personnel maintain close communication. As the 500th German-invested enterprise in Taicang, Berman Group progressed from signing to production in just over a year, now serving as its only Chinese base featuring complete product lines and full production processes. The facility injects strong momentum into Taicang's billion-yuan logistics trade and high-end equipment manufacturing industries.

"Investing in Taicang brings us closer to the Chinese market and customers, enabling us to serve the Asia-Pacific region and globally from this base. The mature German enterprise ecosystem and supply chain here enhance our competitiveness and facilitate collaborative innovation as we steadily advance toward our strategic goal of 1.4 billion yuan in output value," said Huang Xiaohua, Chief Financial Officer for Berman Asia and China.

Cooperation extends beyond traditional优势 industries into cutting-edge fields like aerospace and biomedicine. The Taicang Sino-German Innovation Park Aerospace Industrial Park and Life Science Park have commenced operations, leveraging German cooperation while aligning with Taicang's industrial direction to become vital components in developing new quality productive forces.

International advanced technologies, talents, and experiences have taken root in Taicang, with German enterprises serving as important catalysts and connectors for regional innovation. More than 800 local private enterprises have established various forms of cooperation with German companies, ranging from supply chain support to joint technological breakthroughs. Through practical collaboration, "Taicang manufacturing" and "German quality" have found common ground, collectively enhancing regional industrial core competitiveness.

Under China's dual-carbon goals, Taicang has integrated sustainable development into its urban DNA, with numerous German companies participating in this transition. Schaeffler's Taicang plant has received an A rating for climate change from CDP for three consecutive years. Nike China Logistics Center achieves 100% renewable energy供电. Camfil's rooftop photovoltaic project meets approximately 30% of its annual electricity需求. Additionally, Taicang collaborates with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit to establish the Sino-German (Taicang) Green Low-Carbon Cooperation Park, creating a pilot energy efficiency network for low-carbon parks.

These benchmark cases reflect deep integration between urban strategy and corporate vision. Taicang has evolved from merely an investment destination for German companies into an important实践场 for their global sustainable development strategies. This "German enterprise hometown" is transforming from an industrial cluster with prominent advantages into an open ecosystem characterized by innovation integration and green leadership, where Chinese and foreign enterprises grow together through mutually empowering technological innovation and sustainable development, continuously exploring infinite possibilities for the future.