What they say

The manufacturing industry of China has achieved great progress in the past 30 years but is still in the stage of making cheap, mid- to low-end products on a large scale. Although made-in-China products are sold around the world, China has realized the high risks of staying in that stage. China needs to learn from German Industry 4.0 to combine industrialization and customization with intelligent manufacturing technologies.

Lothar de Maiziere, former prime minister of the German Democratic Republic and consultant for the Sino-German Industrial Services Zone

Both "Made in China 2025" and "Industry 4.0" try to increase efficiency by optimizing the mode of production with information technologies and digitization. We can mitigate climate change by reducing power usage. China is such a big country and it will create huge effects on the global climate if it saves energy by 1 percentage point. I strongly support my Chinese fellows to keep on innovating and increasing their efficiency of power and raw materials usage.

Joschka Fischer, former vice chancellor and minister for foreign affairs of Germany

Foshan is a representative of China's manufacturing industry and hopes to enhance international cooperation. The Sino-German Industrial Services Zone, the Sino-German Industrial City Alliance and the partnership with Deutsche Messe AG to build an exhibition center in Foshan are the platforms on which we hope to upgrade the city's industry to international standard.

Ou Bangmin, a member of Foshan's CPC standing committee and Party chief of Shunde district and Party chief of the Sino-German Industrial Services Zone

(China Daily European Weekly 09/18/2015 page15)