Hidden champions forum brings Chinese and German entrepreneurs closer

The China-Germany (China-Europe) Hidden Champions Forum 2025 held in Beijing's Shunyi district this week has not only strengthened the economic ties between the two countries, but also provided chances to help entrepreneurs from the two sides understand each other better.

According to the "2025 China-Germany Hidden Champions Open Cooperation Report" released during the forum, over half of German enterprises surveyed plan to increase their investments in China within the next two years.

It also reveals that German and European hidden champions still have more than double the current growth potential in the Chinese market.

According to data from the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the total number of German enterprises in China has exceeded 10,000, with small and medium-sized enterprises, or SMEs, accounting for around 80 percent of all German enterprises operating in China.

"The trend of 'In China, For China' among German SMEs has become more pronounced. Meanwhile, Chinese equity investments in German hidden champions have been active," said the report.

Hidden champions refer to highly successful yet lesser-known SMEs that are global leaders in terms of market share in their respective niches.

The report was jointly released by the International Cooperation Center of the National Development and Reform Commission (ICC) and the DEZ German European Centre for SME Cooperation in China. The forum attracted over 600 participants from China and abroad, with the number of international attendees nearly doubling year-on-year.

According to Peng Jian, an expert with the ICC, the distinctive Sino-German industrial parks in China have fostered a thriving ecosystem for German companies, creating a synergistic development model that complements industrial and supply chain strengths of Chinese and German enterprises.

Notably, 36 percent of surveyed firms expressed intentions to accelerate R&D and innovation activities in China.

Hans-Peter Friedrich, former vice-president of the German Bundestag and chairman of the Germany-China Parliamentary Group, said that not investing in China means missing out on prime access to Asia's vast regional market.

Up to 600 individuals including government representatives, professors, experts and industry leaders participated in this forum.

Among them, nearly 200 high-level officials, hidden champion enterprises, and industry representatives were from overseas, with the number of international guests almost doubled compared to the first edition.

In recent years, Beijing has actively aligned itself with international high-standard trade and economic rules, implementing over 120 related policies.

Simultaneously, the capital has launched the "Global Service Partner Program", continuously enhancing services for foreign investment, enterprises, and talents, creating new opportunities for foreign businesses to thrive in Beijing.

Shunyi district hosts nearly 1,000 foreign enterprises and close to 10,000 foreign residents. The Beijing Sino-German economic and technological cooperation pilot zone, located in Shunyi, has attracted 120 German-related enterprises, with an annual industrial scale exceeding 40 billion yuan.

Xinhua contributed to this story.