Chinese, German firms could work together on innovation: expert

BERLIN - Chinese and German companies could work well together to accelerate innovation process, a German expert told Xinhua here on Monday.

Thomas Nolting, Chairman of the Board of the German Advanced Industrial Technology Research Institute, made the statements after having visited the Chinese company Haier's booth at the Berlin's consumer electronics show, the Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA).

The Qingdao Haier Co Ltd is one of the world's leading home appliance makers.

"It is good for Chinese companies like Haier to present themselves here (at IFA)," Nolting said, adding that German and Chinese can help and learn from each other.

In general, German companies are great machine producers and have good manufacturing technologies. But in the area of Internet of Things, Chinese companies are more innovative than European companies, according to him.

Nolting believed that innovation is very necessary, and both Chinese and German companies are very innovative.

"The (innovation) train is traveling with great speed. We have to catch hold of it," he said.

Meanwhile, Nolting noted that products of Chinese companies are very good and they are getting even better. He praised Haier's advanced and intelligent technology, as well as its excellent design.

"So I think in the coming year, German and Chinese companies can work together in many areas," he concluded.

IFA 2018, which will last until Sept 5, has drawn 1,814 exhibitors worldwide. More than one third of them come from China.