Special Report: Global Financial Crisis

    By Wu Liming, Ban Wei

    BERLIN, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Those present at the conference hall of the Asia-Pacific Committee here Wednesday afternoon grinned as Ulrich Vohskaemper from German company SMS Meer signed a contract with Ya Jitai from China's Yankuang Light Alloy Co., Ltd.

Visiting Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming (R) talks with German Economic Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg during the German-Chinese business forum and signing ceremony of procurement deals in Berlin, Germany, Feb. 25, 2009. A Chinese procurement team, led by Chen, attended the forum. (Xinhua/Luo Huanhuan) Photo Gallery>>>

    Under the contract, Yankuang will purchase extrusion production lines worth 57 million euros (around 73 million U.S. dollars) from SMS Meer.

    "We are very proud of providing four extrusion production lines for my Chinese partner," Vohskaemper, vice president of SMS Meer, told Xinhua prior to the signing ceremony, which was witnessed by Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming and German Economic Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg.

    The deal is among 37 agreements signed here between the Chinese trade and investment delegation headed by Chen and German companies. The overall procurement package in Germany amounted to over 10 billion U.S. dollars.

    "I believe today's contract-signing and the talks between German and Chinese business leaders have sent a strong signal to the world that we are striving to turn the economic crisis into commercial opportunities," Vohskaemper said.

    "We hope to expand cooperation with the Chinese side, we are confident in the Chinese market and we are planning to expand our involvement in the Chinese market," he said.

    The procurement contract is the biggest single deal for SMS Meer in recent years, and it is a vital deal for SMS Meer, according to Yan Jitai, Chairman of Yankuang Light Alloy Co,. Ltd.

    Yan said one of the production lines his company bought this time is the biggest in the world, which would boost the production and the competitiveness of his company.

    "We benefit a lot from this trade and investment tour, " said Yan.

    "Thanks to the tour, we have chances to get in touch with our German counterparts and explore new cooperation fields," he added.

    On Wednesday, over 450 Chinese and German business representatives witnessed the historic moment of signing these remarkable procurement deals. Apart from that, they also held a forum at the Asia-Pacific Committee to explore more cooperation potential.

    Stefan Kutsch from Marco Systemanalyse und Entwicklung told Xinhua that the trade and investment tour produced a "win-win deal."

    "We have been present in the Chinese market for 20 years and we believe China will provide good opportunities for us, " he said.

    "We are resolutely opposed to trade protectionism," he said. "Business means sharing, business means seeking win-win and mutual benefits."

    Later on Wednesday, the Chinese business delegation left Berlin for Zurich of Switzerland to continue their trade and investment tour.