Hamburg Summit 2012

From 28 to 30 November 2012 440 high-ranking representatives from business, politics and academia from 21 countries came together at the „Hamburg Summit: China meets Europe“ to discuss Sino-European relations. This year‘s guests of honour were the Chinese Minister for Research and Technology, Wan Gang, his German counterpart Annette Schavan, and Prof. Georgios Papastamkos, Vice President of the European Parliament. Wan Gang who speaks a very good German after living and working for almost fifteen years in Germany announced that the new Chinese government will increase the focus on innovation in the Chinese economy. He also called for ‘a new silk road’ between China and the EU.

The Sino-European trade relations were in the focus of many lively discussions. Other topics were China’s role in the global economy, secure access to raw materials, “smart cities” and Chinese and European strategies in a multipolar world. However, the highlight for most participants was the discussion between Helmut Schmidt, former German chancellor, and his old friend Dr. Henry Kissinger, former US Secretary of State. In a very lively discussion both explained their views on the future development of China and the changes this will bring to the EU and the US for global governance. Co-Hosts of the „Hamburg Summit“ 2012 were the China Federation of Industrial Economics (CFIE) and the China Association of Trade-in-Services (CATIS), who attended with large business delegations.

For further Information please download the Documentation Brochure 2012 (approx. 4 mb) which provides an extensive overview of the "Hamburg Summit" 2012 including summaries of all panel discussions and speeches. An executive summary is available in English and German.

Many of the speeches hold during the "Hamburg Summit" 2012 can be found here:

November 28, 2012

Word of Welcome by Fritz Horst Melsheimer, President, Hamburg Chamber of Commerce

Word of Welcome by Olaf Scholz, First Mayor and President of the Senate of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Germany

Keynote speech by Wan Gang, Vice Chair of the 11th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Minister of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China

Keynote speech by Annette Schavan, Federal Minister of Education and Research of the Federal Republic of Germany

Keynote speech by Prof. Dr. Georgios Papastamkos, Vice President, European Parliament

Closing remarks by Nikolaus W. Schües, Conference Chairman; Former President, Hamburg Chamber of Commerce; Shipowner, Reederei F. Laeisz, Germany

November 29, 2012

Word of Welcome by Fritz Horst Melsheimer, President, Hamburg Chamber of Commerce

Word of Welcome by Olaf Scholz, First Mayor and President of the Senate of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Germany

Introduction into the Keynote Session by Nikolaus W. Schües, Conference Chairman; Former President, Hamburg Chamber of Commerce; Shipowner, Reederei F. Laeisz, Germany

“Innovation and development - using chances through cooperation” by Wan Gang, Vice Chairman of the 11th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Minister of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China

"Interdependence, strengthening cooperation - how to create a better future" by Lu Yaohua, Executive Vice Chairman, China Federation of Industrial Economics, P.R. China

“Europe and China – The need for deeper trust“ by Dr. Martin Brudermüller, Chairman China Committee of APA Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business, Germany

"Service Trade: China´s New Growth Engine?" by Yao Shenhong, Executive Vice Chairman and Secretary General, China Association of Trade in Services, P.R. China

November 30, 2012

“The ‘Great Rebalancing’ of the euro area and the global economy” by Peter Praet, Chief Economist and Member of the Executive Board, European Central Bank

"The economic transformation towards sustainable growth" by Prof. Dr. Mao Zhenhua, Chairman, China Chengxin Credit Management Co. Ltd.; Director, Institute of Economic Research, Renmin University, P.R. China

„The strategic dimension of the euro and the European Union in the globalized world” by Dr. Werner Hoyer, President, European Investment Bank

"China: A New Growth Equation" by Karel De Gucht, Commissioner for Trade, European Commission

Official Conference Closing by Nikolaus W. Schües, Conference Chairman; Former President, Hamburg Chamber of Commerce; Shipowner, Reederei F. Laeisz, Germany