Zhang Yu

JeniZhang13@163.com

AS part of his visit to China, German Transport Minister Volker Wissing led a delegation to Shenzhen between Wednesday and Thursday, underscoring the growing importance of Sino-German cooperation in transportation and digitalization.

On Thursday, Mayor Qin Weizhong and Wissing met to discuss opportunities to enhance cooperation in fields such as intelligent transportation systems, technological innovation, and urban air mobility.

During their stay in Shenzhen, Wissing and his delegation were able to observe the city’s advanced infrastructure and technological prowess when they toured the Mawan Port, Tencent, and the Shenzhen Urban Transport Planning Center Co. Ltd.

The German transport minister highlighted the importance of technological innovation exchanges between China and Germany and pointed out that Shenzhen’s pioneering experience is invaluable on a global scale.

“Shenzhen’s rapid development and sophisticated traffic management are commendable,” Wissing said.

He also noted a converging interest between Germany and Shenzhen in supporting the development of the low-altitude economy, specifically referencing the collaboration between German company Lilium N.V. and Shenzhen’s Bao’an District.

In 2023, the Bao’an District Government and Lilium N.V., developer of the world’s first all-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) jet, signed a memorandum of understanding for the opening of a regional Lilium headquarters in Bao’an — the first step in a partnership to establish a safe and sustainable eVTOL service in China with the Lilium Jet.

Wissing described his visit to Shenzhen as the pinnacle of his journey through China. He expressed admiration for the city’s rapid transformation into a global technology center and magnet for talent, as well as its willingness to embrace new technologies and their applications.

“Despite my brief stay in Shenzhen, I am profoundly impressed,” Wissing said, adding that he will be an ambassador of Shenzhen upon his return to Germany.