Grand opening of China Week 2024

A cultural highlight of the opening was the performance by Master Shi Yongchuan from the Shaolin Cultural Center in Berlin. In an impressive demonstration, he presented traditional Shaolin Kung Fu together with two Shaolin monks, which was met with enthusiasm by the audience.

Dr. Sylvia Schattauer, President of Clausthal University of Technology, congratulated the guests in her speech on the successful opening of China Week and welcomed them to the event. She took the opportunity to invite all those present to the 250th anniversary of Clausthal University of Technology, before emphasizing in her greeting that we are all linked to the challenges of the 21st century, which can only be solved together and globally. The China Week reflects the "traditionally strong international orientation and networking of our university".

This was followed by a greeting from the Chinese Consul General in Hamburg, CONG Wu, who highlighted the importance and challenges of German-Chinese cooperation in a global context. He emphasized that both countries have a responsibility to contribute to the stability and development of the global economy.

Finally, the first speech was given by Prof. Dr. YI Jianhong, Vice President of Kunming University of Science and Technology, who was a guest at Clausthal University of Technology as part of a delegation trip. In his lecture "Working together with a shared future", he praised the 26-year collaboration with Clausthal University of Technology, which has led to remarkable successes such as the establishment of innovation platforms in the fields of battery research and sustainable mining. He expressed the wish that more young people from both countries should get involved in the cooperation and participate in the joint projects in order to tackle global challenges and strengthen bilateral relations.

This was followed by a presentation by Uwe Heinze, head of the Goslar branch of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, who outlined the developments in regional cooperation between Germany and China and emphasized the advantages of the diverse industrial structures in Lower Saxony and their potential for cooperation. Despite the manageable size of the region compared to the size of Chinese provinces, "there are very favorable starting conditions here - I can only encourage you, if you have contacts towards companies - make them aware of the Harz region".

The highlight of the day was the presentation by well-known journalist Felix Lee, who critically analyzed the interdependence and challenges in German-Chinese relations. He emphasized that Germany has benefited from China's economic rise, but that dependencies have also arisen, particularly in key technologies. According to him, China is a "tough competitor", which Germany should see as an incentive. Lee therefore advises a balanced and pragmatic strategy in German-Chinese cooperation: "We don't need less China, but more - especially more China expertise."

The day concluded with a panel discussion on the topic of "Sino-German cooperation in the context of the German government's current China strategy". The invited experts from academia, business and politics discussed the opportunities and risks of bilateral relations against the backdrop of global challenges. The participants emphasized the need to pursue balanced cooperation in areas such as education, technology and sustainable energy in order to deepen Sino-German relations. The opening event ended with a small reception, which provided an opportunity for further exchange and networking.