A workshop of German-based Schaeffler (China) Co Ltd in Taicang, a county-level city in East China's Jiangsu province. [Photo/WeChat account: tcfbgw]  

German-based Proteus Holding Limited established a presence in Taicang, a county-level city in East China's Jiangsu province on Aug 10. 

Taicang is currently home to 443 German companies. 

In 1993, Taicang KERN-LIEBERS Springs Co Ltd became the first German company to be established in the city. 

Over the past 30 years, Taicang has made remarkable achievements in promoting cooperation with Germany. 

Six of Germany's top 10 machine tool manufacturers have established presences in the city and eight of Germany's top 20 family enterprises have made investments in Taicang. More than 50 "hidden champion" companies have set up projects here as well, generating a combined annual output value of over 60 billion yuan ($8.79 billion). 

More than 90 percent of German companies in Taicang have expanded their business and investments in the city. United Automotive Electronic Systems Co Ltd had in early July started the construction of its Phase 2 project, a new energy vehicle auto parts production base that will cost 1.5 billion yuan to build. 

These achievements are largely due to the implementation of a series of measures rolled out by the Taicang government. Authorities have been making efforts to improve the city's business environment, providing support to help enterprises weather the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The city has established four industrial parks and several offshore innovation centers in Berlin and Hamburg to provide support in terms of talents, policies and funding. 

More than 600 local enterprises and research institutes have carried out in-depth cooperation with German companies. All German companies above designated size have completed their digitalization endeavors, thus aiding the development of the city's smart manufacturing goals. 

There have been more and more cultural exchanges between local enterprises and German firms in recent times. Over the past decade, events such as "Taicang Day" and a German beer festival have been held in Taicang and Germany.

Authorities have also established cooperation with German enterprises in fields such as education and environmental protection, and sought to build a living environment catered specifically for Germans.

A rendering of a German-style living environment in Taicang, a county-level city in East China's Jiangsu province. [Photo/WeChat account: tcfbgw]  

The beer festival held in Taicang,  a county-level city in East China's Jiangsu province. [Photo/WeChat account: tcfbgw]