Review: Berlin at 18th China International Small and Medium Enterprises Fair (CISMEF) 2023

Our participation as exhibitor in the German Pavilion at the CISMEF in Guangzhou was already the fifth important BBDC activity in the first half of 2023. This time, our target was to increase the visibility of the BBDC and Berlin in the Greater Bay Area.

The CISMEF is a major international exhibition approved by the State Council of China for the development of SMEs. It aims to build a platform for the display, trade, exchange, and cooperation of SMEs in China and abroad. Between June 27-30, we had the chance to meet a lot of outstanding small and medium enterprises from industry sectors such as machinery equipment manufacturing, new materials, green energy, life sciences, ICT, and internet of things. We introduced relevant economic perspectives in Berlin to them and provided on-site consulting services about the best ways to handle related market entry processes.

After the opening ceremony of the German Pavilion and keynote speeches by Jan Rudolph, Consul General of the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Guangzhou, and Martin Klose, Executive Director of the German Chamber of Commerce China – South & Southwest China, Li Yiran, Chief Representative of Berlin in China, gave a presentation about the topic “Smart and Innovative Berlin”, which highlighted the characteristics and advantages of the business location Berlin, where small and medium enterprises find an integrative and dynamic environment of research organizations, investment funds, accelerators, governmental institutions and international talents. 

On June 28, we have also joined the “China-Europe Forum on Sustainable Development of SMEs”, organized by AHK Greater China in the context of the 2nd SME International Cooperation Summit. Yiran Li delivered insights about success factors of Berlin as the Startup Capital of Europe, including the wide range of support measures from the Berlin Government for SMEs during a panel discussion with other representatives from German federal states and Belgium. The content of this panel discussion has also been reported on the 21st Century Business Herald media platform.

All in all, Berlin generated a lot of interest and attention from visitors at the CISMEF. The Nanfang Media Group has made an extra TV interview with us to report about the participation of the BBDC at the fair and the potential for cooperation between SMEs from Berlin and China.  

It has been a very inspiring and productive week in Guangzhou. We are really looking forward to accompanying more Chinese SMEs on their sustainable development path in Berlin and vice versa.

Stay tuned for our upcoming events in South China. Berlin will meet its friends and cooperation partners in the Greater Bay Area again very soon!

You Berlin in China Team