2016-03-21

On March 21^st, 2016, Executive Chairman ZHANG Yi was invited to head the Delegation to visit VDI/VDE IT (Innovation +Technology) and meet with Mr. Wolfgang Gessner, Head of Department Future Technologies and Europe, Mr. JurgenValldorf, Deputy Head of Department Future Technologies and Europe, Mr. Uwe Seidel, Senior Consultant Future Technologies and Europe and Mr. Gereon Meyer, Head of Strategic Projects Future Technologies and Europe. Both parties had exchanged their own views as for the issues of promoting the technological cooperation between China and Germany and establishing the exchange mechanism between Chinese and German engineers. Mr. Oliver Pfirrman, the Former Head of Unit Technologies of acatech, the present partner of the Commission also attended the meeting.

Mr. ZHANG Yi and Mr. YU Jiangang (Left Four), Mr. JurgenValldorf (Right Three), Mr. Uwe Seidel (Left Three), Mr. Gereon Meyer (Right Two), Mr. Oliver Pfirrman (Right One), Mr. ZHU Qiang (Left One), Mr. MU Wanli (Right Two)

The Association of German Engineers (VereinDeutscherIngenieure, abbreviated as VDI) was established in 1856 and is the spokesman of German engineers and technologies. Its Headquarters is in Dusseldorf. VDI is mainly engaged in the works of R & D, supervision, standardization, IP and patent protection concerning German technologies. Its key mission is to facilitate the convergence of technical powers from all aspects and to be dedicated to the effort of improving human living conditions through the technological means and the ensuing effective application. VDI also assumes the works of providing the training, further education to the engineers and the consultation service to the government and society. VDI has 45 regional associations and 18 professional associations with about 130,000 official members.

The Association of German Electrical Engineers (Verband der Elektrotechnik, Elektronik und Informationstechnik, abbreviated as VDE) was established in 1893 and was one of the founders of IEC, which was set up in 1906. The Headquarters of VDE is in Frankfurt. VDE is dedicated to the effort of furthering the technologies of all sorts and promoting the universal application of high-quality technologies in the concerned professions. In the meanwhile, VDE assumes the works of providing the training and further education to better the careers of electrical engineers and providing the consultation service to the governmental decision-makers just as VDI has done. VDI has 29 regional associations with 36000 personal members and 1300 unit members.

VDI/VDE IT that the Delegation has visited was jointly set up by two authoritative associations 35 years ago. VDI/VDE IT is the important German service provider in the field of innovation and technology with the coverage of the analysis, funding and organization services for the new technologies with a view to ensuring the success of high technologies through the optimum solution plan for the clients on the reliance of its interdisciplinary background.

Mr. Wolfgang Gessner extended his welcome to Chinese guests. He remarked,sci-tech innovation has become the hot topic to which the whole world has attached the consistent attention. VDI/VDE IT was quite willing to cooperate with Chinese partners to realize win-win. Mr. ZHANG Yi expressed his gratitude to Mr. Gessner’s words. He said, Chinese manufacturing industry was in hot pursuit of realizing the industrial upgrading by virtue of the advanced foreign technologies. In the meanwhile, there existed abundant cooperation opportunities between Chinese and German sci-tech circles. The Commission was open to explore the best road map of cooperation as for the joint effort of establishing the innovation platform in collaboration with VDI and VDE. 

Afterwards, Mr. JurgenValldorf made the presentation of the current management and organization system of sci-tech innovation in Germany. He explained that VDI/VDE IT was wedged between two sections, namely, the section of the government, which formulated the sci-tech policies and allocated the funding and the section of R & D institutions, which carried out the concrete research work. VDI/VDE IT has been entrusted by the Federal Ministries and the State Governments of Germany, European Commission and other countries with the work of providing the analysis, consultation service concerningsci-tech policies and the overall management service as for the special research funding. In the meanwhile, VDI/VDE IT also organizes the experts to assess the funded research projects and designates the best experts to undertake the technological development through its own channel.

Mr. YU Jiangang, Vice President of INESA exchanged his views as for the technological upgrading and the actual demands of international cooperation of INESA with VDI/VDE IT. Mr. Uwe Seidel and Mr. Gereon Meyer respectively replied that as the information convergence platform, VDI/VDE IT would be more likely to make full use of its advantage of being the consultationplatform and rely on the powerful resources of two German authoritative associations to select the best solution plan in the world in line with the actual needs of clients. VDI/VDE IT could provide the authoritative information and organize the experts to provide the technological solution planwithin the shortest time span. VDI/VDE IT was willing to keep the business contact with INESA and provide the service for Chinese enterprises.

Mr. ZHANG Yi further expounded his opinion as for the issue of promoting the sci-tech innovation cooperation between China and Germany and establishing the effective exchange mechanism between Chinese and German engineers. He said, considering the actual situation of Chinese manufacturing industry, Chinese enterprises and the governmentalinstitutions at different levels needed the high-end information service of VDI/VDE IT. He expected the Commission to establish the efficient information exchange mechanism with VDI/VDE IT and provide the information assistance in order to promote the progress of Chinese enterprises and the governmental decision-making. The cooperation between the Commission and VDI/VDE IT would surely be win-win. Officials of VDI/VDE IT expressed their thanks and expected to provide services to more and more Chinese enterprises through the platform of the Commission.

The meeting concluded amid the friendly atmosphere.