China, Germany pledge deeper auto ties at IAA

China and Germany vowed to strengthen cooperation in the global shift toward electric and smart vehicles, as industry and government leaders gathered on Wednesday at the World New Energy Vehicle Congress on the sidelines of the IAA Mobility show in Munich, Germany.

Hildegard Mueller, president of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), said the two countries' auto industries are complementing each other as they tackle shared challenges, pointing to Germany's global manufacturing base and China's innovation strength.

"German automotive expertise built on more than a century of heritage and China's burst of innovation form a perfect complement," Mueller said. "This deep integration is creating an ecosystem with both technological depth and market breadth."

The Munich session of the World New Energy Vehicle Congress was co-hosted by China-SAE, the VDA and the World New Energy Vehicle Development Organization, drawing industry leaders from both countries.

More than 116 Chinese companies are exhibiting at this year's IAA Mobility, underscoring the scale of cross-border collaboration.

Chinese officials echoed Mueller's call for closer ties. Zhai Qian, minister at the Chinese embassy in Germany, said that China and Germany's auto supply chains are "deeply embedded and mutually beneficial." He urged both sides to resolve trade frictions through talks, after the EU launched a probe into Chinese EV imports.

"China's innovative vitality and Germany's engineering strength together will form a powerful synergy," Zhai said. "Despite global uncertainty, China will stick to its opening-up policy and work with Germany to turn risks into opportunities."

Hou Fushen, vice-chairman and secretary-general of the China-SAE, called Sino-German automotive cooperation "a model of global win-win collaboration".

He said future efforts should focus on integrating clean energy, artificial intelligence and smart mobility technologies to build a more competitive innovation ecosystem.

The event highlighted how both governments and industries see the auto sector as central to their broader economic partnership.

The push for electric and intelligent mobility, speakers said, could set a benchmark for global sustainable development while driving industrial upgrades in both countries.

The event attracted executives from a number of German and Chinese companies, including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, ZF, Bosch as well as Changan, Li Auto and Black Sesame.