Düsseldorf, 28. January 2016 - Around 400 guests from industry, politics, administration and culture were invited to the reception for the Chinese New Year celebrations, organized by the state capital Düsseldorf and the state-owned economic development agency NRW.INVEST. The large number of visitors confirms that the date has become firmly fixed in the calendar of the Chinese community in Düsseldorf and in North Rhine-Westphalia. Minister of Economic Affairs, Garrelt Duin, Mayor Thomas Geisel and the Chinese Vice Consul General Lili Tao welcomed the many representatives from Chinese companies and institutions.
Mayor Thomas Geisel: "Düsseldorf continues to be one of the most dynamic locations for Chinese companies in Germany. 2015 saw the settlement of a total of 63 Chinese companies in Düsseldorf – an average of more than one per week. This dynamic is also reflected in the growing Chinese community. Today, around 2,800 Chinese people live in Düsseldorf and make a positive contribution to the diversity of the city. The official opening of the Consulate General in the presence of the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang in December is testament to China's great confidence in our state capital."
"Around 900 Chinese companies have already recognized the advantages of the location and have settled in NRW. And their number continues to grow. Last year, our own economic development agency NRW.INVEST again succeeded in facilitating a record number of settlements. In 2015, 81 Chinese companies chose North Rhine-Westphalia," explained Minister for Economic Affairs, Garrelt Duin. "This makes North Rhine-Westphalia the number one investment location for the Chinese economy in Europe," said the Minister.
In her welcoming speech, Lili Tao, Chinese Vice Consul General, said, "We are extremely happy to confirm that both the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and Düsseldorf itself go to great lengths to look after Chinese companies and investors, and this event offers them an annual platform. The settlement record of Chinese companies into Düsseldorf and North Rhine-Westphalia is proof of the region's excellent location factors, such as its geographical location, infrastructure, dense research network and its significant sales markets. But they are also proof of the deep and close friendship between our two countries."
Last year, Düsseldorf and NRW were once again the most important region for Chinese investment projects in Europe. Meanwhile, approximately 900 companies have settled n North Rhine-Westphalia, almost 400 of which are in the state capital alone.
The economic development agency of the state capital and the state-owned economic development agency NRW.INVEST cooperate on many projects in order to both strengthen the business location and to attract Chinese companies to settle here. Further joint activities are planned for the future as part of the location campaign "Germany at its best: Nordrhein-Westfalen".
