China's Hunan province seeks investment from German and Swiss markets
Officials from China's Hunan province held a series of economic conferences in Germany and Switzerland from October 27 to November 1, 2026, aiming to strengthen trade ties.
Delegations from China’s Hunan province hosted economic and trade collaboration conferences in Germany and Switzerland between October 27 and November 1, 2026. The initiative, which has been held annually since 2023, serves as a platform to integrate the regional economy with European markets.
In Germany, the dialogue centered on automotive manufacturing and industrial machinery. Liu Suyue, deputy director of the Hunan Provincial Department of Commerce, noted that 37 major German firms—including Bosch, Volkswagen, and BASF—already operate in the province. According to provincial data, revenue from German-invested enterprises in the region grew by 117% during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. With an annual production of 1.62 million vehicles in 2025, Hunan seeks to further connect its manufacturing output to international supply chains.
Events in Switzerland focused on biomedicine, artificial intelligence, and life sciences. Hunan officials pitched the region as a gateway for European companies entering the Chinese market, citing industrial ecosystems and supply chain reliability as core assets. The province aims to use these conferences to accelerate specific business projects and increase its profile among European investors.