The 18th Taicang Day is held at the BMW Welt Auditorium in Munich, Germany. [Photo/WeChat account: tcfbgw]

The 18th Taicang Day was held at the BMW Welt Auditorium in Munich on April 16, bringing together more than 300 representatives from Chinese and German business, government and cultural sectors to witness the launch of a new round of cooperation projects.

One of the key highlights of the event was a trilateral agreement signed between VDE, Taicang government and Suzhou market regulation authority. VDE, one of Germany's most influential organizations in electrical engineering, electronics and information technology standards, announced the establishment of its only representative office in China in Taicang.

Ansgar Hinz, chairman and CEO of VDE, said standards serve as a common global language. He said that the organization intends to expand its testing, certification and inspection services in China to support German companies operating in the country, while also helping more Chinese enterprises explore European markets.

Several German projects also secured agreements to settle in Taicang High-Tech Zone, focusing on industrial systems, logistics technology and educational technology.

The event also featured the launch of the ninth China-Germany Friendship Cup International Table Tennis Invitational Tournament and a soccer competition for enterprises in the Yangtze River Delta.

During a special business matchmaking session, representatives from Chinese and German enterprises and institutions gave presentations.

Fu Zhenxiang, general manager of a Suzhou-based intelligent equipment company attending the event, said Germany remains a benchmark for advanced equipment manufacturing. He said the Taicang Day event provides a valuable platform for Chinese companies to learn from German enterprises in precision manufacturing and quality management, helping them strengthen their presence in Germany and the broader European market.

Held continuously for 18 years, Taicang Day has evolved from an investment promotion event into a comprehensive platform for economic cooperation, cultural exchange and city-to-city engagement between China and Germany.