Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He at City Hall – The ‘New Silk Road’ between Europe and Asia offers opportunities for Hamburg

27 Nov 2018 16:12 Economy

On the occasion of the ‘Hamburg Summit: China meets Europe’ and a discussion with Liu He, Vice-Premier of China with responsibility for the economy and finances, Hamburg’s First Mayor Dr. Peter Tschentscher underlined Hamburg’s special role in China’s New Silk Road – or ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ – designed to link Europe and Asia more closely.
 
Hamburg’s First Mayor Dr. Peter Tschentscher: “The Belt and Road Initiative is strengthening the link between China and Europe. The project has immense potential for international trade and the world economy generally. As the traditional centre of Europe-China trade, Hamburg can be a natural hub and terminal for the New Silk Road. More than 30 freight trains are now already running every week between Hamburg and 27 Chinese cities.”
 
The New Silk Road was also a keynote topic at the meeting between Vice-Premier Liu He and Mayor Tschentscher in Hamburg City Hall. Mayor Tschentscher: “With Vice-Premier Liu He, the leading Chinese politician for economics and finance has come to Hamburg. We are delighted by this interest in our economic base and in Hamburg companies. We feel able to bring our expertise and experience in logistics to the implementation of the Silk Road initiative.”
 
Commenting on trade relations with China and the ‘Hamburg Summit: China meets Europe’, Tschentscher said: “The Hamburg Summit is the most important annual meeting for the deepening of Europe-China trade relations. Hamburg is the Gateway to China. More than half of German-Chinese trade is via the Port of Hamburg. Around 550 Chinese companies have a branch in Hamburg, while around 650 Hamburg companies are engaged in business with China. An open dialogue on free trade and exchange of goods strengthens Hamburg’s role as a hub for international goods flows.”
 
Background
On 26 November, Dr. Peter Tschentscher, Hamburg’s First Mayor, opened the most important Europe-China economic conference, the eighth ‘Hamburg Summit: China meets Europe’. Today, the Chinese Guest of Honour at the two-day conference, Vice-Premier Liu He, was invited to a discussion with Hamburg’s First Mayor in City Hall. After President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, Liu He is among China’s leading politicians and the central figure in China’s economic and financial policy. In this function, he is also responsible for China’s global trade relations.
 
Hamburg-China background
Over 550 Chinese companies are based in Hamburg – among these are such major international logistics groups as COSCO Shipping Lines, but also Chinese financial institutions like the Bank of China and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC). More than 650 Hamburg companies, including many of medium size, maintain business relations with China. Hamburg is China’s Gateway to Europe. More than half of Germany’s foreign trade with Europe runs via the Port of Hamburg. By both sea and land, the Hanseatic City sees itself as the central terminal/hub point for the ‘New Silk Road’ forming part of the Chinese government’s ‘Belt and Road Strategy’.
 
 

Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He at City Hall – The ‘New Silk Road’ between Europe and Asia offers opportunities for Hamburg

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