Fewer German companies are investing in the US due to the US administration's trade tariffs and focus is shifting to China and other Asian countries, Bloomberg reported on Thursday, citing a survey by German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK).

A Chinese expert said this trend reflects the certainty delivered by China's commitment to opening-up, free trade and investment facilitation, while calling for Germany to strengthen cooperation with China for the benefits of its own economy and join hands against trade protectionism.

China was a declared investment destination for 34 percent of respondents, up from 31 percent, according to the survey.

"The trade dispute with the US is fueling uncertainty and leading companies to postpone decisions," said Volker Treier, DIHK's head of foreign trade. In Asia, firms are increasingly moving to both produce and sell their products in local markets, particularly in China and India, he said, according to Bloomberg.

"Germany is an export-oriented economy with a high dependence on external markets. In this regard, the US' trade protectionism has undermined Germany's economic interests. In contrast, China's commitment to opening-up, free trade, and investment facilitation provides much-needed certainty for German investors," Jian Junbo, director for the Center for China-Europe Relations at Fudan University's Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Friday.

Although there are some voices calling for "de-risking" from China in Germany, there is high level of interdependence between China and Germany. The two countries should strengthen bilateral cooperation and joint opposition to trade protectionism, Jian said.

On Friday, German car manufacturer Audi officially signed a strategic cooperation agreement with SAIC Motor to further deepen collaboration for future generations of models under their co-owned new brand, with ⁠four of them to be launched in China in the coming years, the company said in a statement on Friday. The automakers will also cooperate to build an innovation ⁠and technology center in Shanghai, it said.

Attracted by the stable and positive momentum of China's economy and its commitment to expanding high-level opening-up, multinational companies are firmly expanding their footprint in the market.

According to data released by the Ministry of Commerce in March, a total of 8,631 new foreign-invested firms were established across China in the first two months of the year, marking an increase of 14 percent year-on-year.

High-tech industries attracted a combined 63.21 billion yuan ($9.26 billion) in foreign direct investment during the period, up 20.4 percent year-on-year and accounting for 39.2 percent of the national total foreign direct investment, the data showed.

"In recent years, China's progress in fields like green tech, electric vehicle, digital artificial intelligence (AI), and high-value services has been remarkable. For the world, this contributes a new source of innovation and competition that can drive industries forward," Denis Depoux, global managing director of German management consultancy Roland Berger, told the Global Times in a recent interview.

For multinational companies, China is no longer simply a large market; it is increasingly a source of innovation and a critical arena for sharpening global competitiveness, Depoux said. Engaging with the "China Speed" and its dynamic ecosystem is an opportunity for multinational companies to turn a challenge into a strategic advantage, he said.