Top executives from BASF, Thyssenkrupp and Siemens Energy will join German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche's planned China visit next week, Reuters reported Thursday. Chinese authorities have yet to announce the visit. Chinese experts noted this shows Germany still values pragmatic cooperation with China despite rising Western "de-risking" rhetoric, underscoring the deep industrial and supply-chain connections between the two sides.

The Global Times has reached out to the German industrial giants for more details regarding the trip, but has not received a response as of press time.

BASF in March just opened its ⁠new 9 billion euros ($10 billion) complex in Zhanjiang, South China's Guangdong Province, its single largest investment ever, the report said.

Reiche's reported visit, scheduled from May 26 to May 29, also reflects ⁠Germany's dependence on China as a source of raw materials and market to sell goods, while the country is a fierce rival in the automotive, energy and technology sectors, the Reuters noted. The planned visit comes three months after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's trip to the world's second-largest economy.

According to the report, Reiche's trip aims at "resetting ties that are determined by key dependencies" while addressing trade competition issues, as a spokesperson for Germany's Economy Ministry also emphasized the "EU's significance as a buyer of Chinese goods."

Chinese experts said the reported visit will release a clear signal that Germany still values economic and industrial cooperation with China, especially in sectors such as chemicals, energy and advanced manufacturing. They noted that despite lingering trade frictions between China and Europe, the deep interdependence between the Chinese and German economies means pragmatic cooperation remains in the interests of both sides amid global economic uncertainty. Whether the German side can address trade competition concerns with China through dialogue is also seen as one of the key points to watch during the visit.

Recent years, China has become an increasingly indispensable market for German businesses. Newly released official German data also showed that Chinese investment projects in Germany maintained growth momentum despite a broader slowdown in the Germany foreign investment environment.

2025 German FDI Posts released by Germany Trade (GTAI) and Invest on Thursday showed that the number of Chinese investment projects in Germany reached 228 last year, up 14.6 percent year-on-year, surpassing the US for the first time since 2017 to become the largest source of foreign investment projects in Germany, Xinhua News Agency reported.

In terms of sectors and industries, digitalization, electronics and automation, and mobility and logistics lead the way, according to the 2025 German FDI Posts.

By comparison, a total of 1,564 foreign investment projects were launched in Germany in 2025, down 9.3 percent year-on-year, while investment projects from US companies fell 10 percent to 206, according to Xinhua.

Notably, 2025 German FDI Posts noted that the number of foreign investment projects declined globally by 9.5 percent, and in the EU by 18.1 percent, in 2025.

In sectors where Germany holds strong industrial advantages - including chemicals, and advanced manufacturing - China is not only a crucial market, but also a key part of global supply chain and industrial planning, said Jian Junbo, director of the Center for China-Europe Relations at Fudan University's Institute of International Studies. "German companies such as BASF have continued expanding investment and production capacity in China in recent years, underscoring their long-term confidence in the Chinese market."

Jian told the Global Times on Friday that if the German side intends to further address trade and economic concerns with China through dialogue during the visit, it could help deepen bilateral economic ties and industrial integration. Should the two sides build more stable and sustainable investment and trade relations, it would not only allow the two major manufacturing economies to better complement each other, but also offer a model for how China and Europe can pursue cooperation alongside competition, he said.

German businesses remained positive about China's economic growth outlook, with higher expectations for business turnover, profits, investment and employment opportunities compared to last year, according to a survey released by the German Chamber of Commerce in China on May 12.

According to the survey, 61 percent of surveyed companies plan to increase their investments in China within the next two years, up from 53 percent in 2025 and marking the highest level since 2023. The companies are largely positive on China's economy, with 37 percent predicting an improvement in China's economy over the next six months, a substantial increase of 22 percentage points from last year.

In a previous interview with the Global Times, Oliver Oehms, Executive Director & Board Member of the German Chamber of Commerce in China, said that China has been a "very relevant" market for German products and services for decades, be it Made in Germany or locally. Now, China is growing increasingly important for German companies as a hub for technological innovation and advanced manufacturing.