Eighth German-Chinese Forum for Economic and Technological Cooperation

Eighth German-Chinese Forum for Economic and Technological Cooperation in Beijing, fourth from left: State Secretary Matthias Machnig (BMWi); third from right:   Albrecht Läufer (representative of BIO Deutschland, CEO Corvay GmbH). © Fehr/Läufer

On 12 and 13 June, the Eighth German-Chinese Forum for Economic and Technological Cooperation was held in Beijing. The German-Chinese Working Group on the Medical Industry and Biotechnology took the forum as an opportunity to convene for the sixth time. Albrecht Läufer (CEO Corvay Consulting), who chairs the Sub-Working Group on Biotechnology for BIO Deutschland, travelled to the meeting in China to represent Germany companies. Some 900 participants from a wide range of sectors attended the one-and-a-half-day event. More than 90 billion renminbi in contracts were signed. There were approximately 20 contract signings within the Working Group on the Medical Industry and Biotechnology. Unlike other meetings, a large number of Chinese companies and institutes attended, including Wuxi Apptec (CRO), Innostar (CRO), Sinopharm (pharma and vaccines), Beike Biotechnology (cell therapy), Beijing Genome Institute (cell therapy) and Shandong University (industrial biotechnology). The German-Chinese Working Group, which in addition to Biotechnology also has Sub-Working Groups on Medical Technology, on Hospital Construction and Hospital Management, on Rehabilitation Medicine and on Traditional Chinese Medicine, agreed to intensify cooperation between the two countries. The Sub-Working Group on Biotechnology plans to strengthen bilateral cooperation especially in the areas of bio-engineered medical drugs, treatments and vaccines, and industrial and agro-biotechnology. It will also advocate for fair and transparent framework conditions and for the dismantling of market access barriers. From a German perspective, the meeting was such a success because of the participation of numerous Chinese companies. German members of the Sub-Working Group on Biotechnology plan to meet again in Berlin in autumn. BIO Deutschland members who have an interest in China are warmly encouraged to attend and should contact our office for further details.