Chief Legal Officer of the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) Prof. Stephan F. Wernicke, Director of its China Office of International Department Mr. Thomas König and Head of its Beijing Office Ms. Gao Chang visited the College on the after of 22 Sept, 2023.

Associate Dean of the College Prof. Xie Libin and Deputy Director of the Sino-German Law Institute Dr. Wu Yiyue welcomed the delegation on Xueyuanlu Campus. The College has maintained friendly contact with the Beijing office of the Delegation of German Industry and Commence for many years, sending students who study Sino-German law to intern in the office, and some of the College graduates also work in the office.

At the meeting, Wernicke said that he had long been interested in the College before his visit, and that the main purpose of his visit was to communicate about the content of his work in Germany. He said that the DIHK represents German enterprises, and as Germany begins to significantly adjust its policy towards China, the argument that China and Germany should ‘decouple’ their economies, that China and Germany should ‘break’ their economic and trade ties, and that Germany should seek to ‘de-risk’ and ‘reduce dependence’ is also gathering momentum. According to him, German companies, which are still doing business and investment in China, are under fire from within Germany. As a representative of the interests of the German business, DIHK naturally shares the relevant pressure with these German companies in China. The Chamber therefore needs to fulfill its duty to explain and defend the investment activities of German companies in China on certain occasions. He discussed with Xie Libin and Wu Yiyue, hoping to get some views and suggestions, so that the Chamber could better perform the corresponding duties.

Subsequently, Xie and Wu put forwarded their own views and had an in-depth exchange with the delegation on this basis.

Wernicke said he was impressed by the exchanges with the College and was greatly inspired by the commutation. Upon his return, he would use the new information and perspective gained this time in the lobbying conducted by Germany and the EU to contribute to the maintenance and improvement of Sino-German and Sino-EU Business and trade relations.