Berlin mayor seeks more investment from China

Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit and the German business delegation with which he is visiting China have encouraged more Chinese investment in Berlin.
Berlin is a benchmark city for urban mobility and energy supply, as well as information and communication technologies, construction and architecture, and thus a good choice for Asian tourists and investors, he said in Beijing on Thursday.
The delegation, scheduled to tour China between Tuesday and Saturday, is made up of 17 enterprises involved in traffic, logistics, energy and the environment.
Wowereit expressed hope that the visit can boost understanding between Berlin's enterprises and their Chinese partners.
Dr. Eric Schweitzer, president of the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Berlin, said the cutting-edge technology of Berlin enterprises will help boost China's urbanization process.
Meanwhile, the visit marks the 20th anniversary of the twinning agreement between Berlin and Beijing.
Over the past two decades, Berlin has enjoyed a vibrant and extremely productive partnership with the Chinese capital and the visit should help intensify existing cooperation and create fresh impetus for new joint projects, Wowereit said.
In 2013, Berlin's main imports from China included metal, rubber and plastic products, motor vehicles and mining products, while Berlin's main exports to China included machinery, electrical equipment, computers and pharmaceuticals, according to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Berlin.