Baden-Württemberg Minister Leads Delegation to China, Focuses on Intelligent Transportation and Robotics
From June 30 to July 4, 2025, Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, Minister of Economics, Labour, and Tourism of the German state of Baden-Württemberg, led a delegation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the region on a week-long visit to Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen in China. The delegation focused on the themes of “Intelligent Transportation Solutions and Robotics,” aiming to gain insights into China’s latest developments in these fields.
On June 30, Dr. Hoffmeister-Kraut arrived in Beijing and immediately began a packed schedule. She attended an internal meeting of the delegation to officially launch the visit. Subsequently, she had constructive talks with representatives from Baden-Württemberg’s partner provinces in China, including Mr. Li Jun, Deputy Director of the Liaoning Provincial Department of Commerce, and Mr. Wang Rongfei, Deputy Director of the Jiangsu Provincial Development and Reform Commission. She also met with Mr. Ren Hongbin, President of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, to discuss strengthening bilateral economic and trade relations and promoting investment cooperation. At 7:30 p.m., the minister attended the “Baden-Württemberg Reception Dinner” at the Kempinski Hotel in Beijing Yansha Center, where she interacted with key Chinese political and business figures, setting a positive tone for the rest of the trip.
On July 1, Dr. Hoffmeister-Kraut visited the X-Humanoid Research Center, Robot World and conducted talks with Mr. Jiang Guangzhi, Director of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology. The two sides reached a consensus on deepening cooperation in the digital economy. She then toured the Xiaomi Auto Beijing Super Factory to learn about the latest achievements in China’s intelligent transportation sector. In the afternoon, she visited the Goethe-Institut in Beijing to discuss cultural exchange and cooperation. In the evening, Dr. Hoffmeister-Kraut and the delegation flew from Beijing to Guangzhou to continue their visit.
On July 2, the delegation began their itinerary in Guangzhou. They first visited the Guangdong Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology and then proceeded to the headquarters of XPeng Motors. The visit focused on the company’s showroom, where they learned about the latest developments in intelligent driving assistance systems and connected vehicle technologies. They also engaged in in-depth discussions with senior company executives on the future trends of intelligent electric vehicles and market opportunities in China and Germany. In the afternoon, the minister led the entire delegation to SICK (China) Group to learn about the group’s innovations in intelligent sensors and robotics.
On the morning of July 3, the delegation visited WeRide, where they experienced Robotaxi (autonomous taxis) and Robobus (autonomous buses) to gain insights into the company’s latest progress in autonomous driving. They also discussed potential business expansion and cooperation in Baden-Württemberg. In the afternoon, the team drove to Shenzhen and visited the Fengyi Bao’an Low-altitude Smart Logistics Operations Center to learn about China’s exploration and practice in low-altitude logistics. They were impressed by the innovations in China’s low-altitude economy.
On the morning of July 4, the delegation toured the planning exhibition hall of the Qianhai area in Shenzhen and the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneur Hub (Ehub). Through detailed presentations, Dr. Hoffmeister-Kraut gained a more intuitive and in-depth understanding of Shenzhen’s planning, innovation incubation ecosystem, and future-oriented industrial layout.
She then visited the robot showroom of Pudu Technology and discussed the application of service robots in supermarkets and hotels with company representatives. In the afternoon, the entire delegation visited Tencent Group, touring the Tencent Building of Binhai to learn about the company’s latest developments in artificial intelligence and cloud computing. That evening, Dr. Hoffmeister-Kraut and her delegation flew back to Germany from Shenzhen, concluding their visit to China.
Dr. Hoffmeister-Kraut’s visit to China deepened the mutual understanding between Baden-Württemberg and China in the fields of intelligent transportation and robotics. It also laid a solid foundation for future cooperation. Looking ahead, both sides are expected to engage in comprehensive cooperation in technology research and development, market expansion, and international investment, jointly promoting the innovative development of intelligent transportation and robotics and creating a better future living environment.