The German Chamber of Commerce in China will take the group on a tour of four commercial centers in Germany, including Berlin and Frankfurt, from March 12 to 16, persuading more enterprises, especially those small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to invest in China.

This is the first organized effort by German business leaders in China to return home to spread the word of opportunities in the Chinese market.

"The Chinese market has become comparatively well-developed and less risky, and it is high time for SMEs from Germany to set foot in the Chinese market," said Ernest H.Behrens, president of the German Chamber of Commerce in China, at a news briefing held here Tuesday.

Behrens, also president & CEO of Siemens Ltd.,China, said that compared with ten or 15 years ago, the framework of law regarding the Chinese market has taken shape.

"The market has become more predictable and has less risks, and it has become all the more advantageous for SMEs," Behrens noted.

The group will hold symposiums, seminars and lectures to elaborate on questions regarding China and the Chinese market.

Over 80 percent of enterprises in Germany are SMEs, and they traditionally have hesitated to invest in China due to their limited financial resources and knowledge about the Chinese market.

In China, however, SMEs account for over 90 percent of all enterprises, and the Chinese government has committed itself to creating a positive business environment for SMEs.

Statistics show that Germany's investment in China totaled 7 billion German marks in the past decade, far less than its investment in Britain + 8.1 billion German marks a year.

(Xinhua 03/06/2001)