On May 26, the Beijing China-Germany Forum for Industrial Cooperation and Development—China-Germany (China-Europe) Hidden Champions Forum 2025 commenced at the China-Germany International Conference and Exhibition Center in Shunyi District, Beijing.
The Beijing China-Germany Forum for Industrial Cooperation and Development—China-Germany (China-Europe) Hidden Champions Forum 2025 Opens
The forum is co-hosted by the Shunyi District People’s Government and the European Senate of Economy, and jointly initiated by the International Cooperation Center (ICC) of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the Academy of German World Market Leaders (ADWM), and the DEZ German European Centre for SME Cooperation in China. Themed “Joint Innovation • Integrated Development”, the forum gathered over 600 Chinese and international participants from different sectors, including 200 political figures and representatives of Hidden Champion enterprises, chambers of commerce, and industry organizations from Germany and other parts of Europe who have travelled to China especially for the forum. The number of overseas attendees doubled compared to the first edition, with German and other European participants expressing strong interest in cooperation.
Release of the 2025 China-Germany Hidden Champions Open Cooperation Report
During the forum, the 2025 China-Germany Hidden Champions Open Cooperation Report was jointly released by the ICC of the NDRC and the DEZ German European Centre for SME Cooperation in China. Drawing on comprehensive research on over 300 German enterprises in China, the report provides an in-depth analysis of current status, challenges, and opportunities in industrial cooperation between Chinese and German (European) hidden champion enterprises. It also offers targeted recommendations and future prospects. Notably, over half of German enterprises surveyed expressed their intention to increase investments in China in the next two years.
Launching the “Golden Link” of China-Germany (China-Europe) Economic and Technological Cooperation
Additionally, the Bank of Beijing and the Shunyi District People’s Government of Beijing Municipality, along with other partners, inaugurated the “Golden Link” of China-Germany (China-Europe) Economic and Technological Cooperation. They proposed six key initiatives and launched three collaboration cases to deepen industry-finance integration. The Beijing Shunyi · China-Germany (Europe) Hidden Champions Reception Hall was unveiled, envisioned as the “primary gateway” for German (and European) enterprises entering the Chinese market.
The forum’s agenda featured an innovative “1+5+N” framework ─ the opening ceremony and main forum, five parallel thematic sessions and multiple supporting events such as the China-Germany Roundtable on Innovative Integration of Industrial Chains and the Dialogue Session between Specialized and Sophisticated SMEs and Hidden Champions. These gatherings have greatly contributed to the in-depth exchanges on key industries and addressed major concerns of international businesses.
With the “two zones” initiative, Beijing is advancing high-standard opening-up through breakthrough policies and enhancing services for foreign investment. As the capital’s key new town in the flatlands, Shunyi District has pooled nearly 1,000 foreign-funded enterprises with its strategic location. Within the district, the Beijing Sino-German Economic and Technological Cooperation Pilot Zone has attracted 120 German-funded and affiliated enterprises, with an annual industrial output exceeding 40 billion yuan. Moving forward, Shunyi District will continue to utilize the forum as a platform to deepen cooperation with Germany and Europe as a whole, create more application scenarios for businesses, and attract more international resources.
