Wacker's Zhangjiagang production base. [Photo/zjgonline.com.cn]

Zhangjiagang, a thriving city in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province, is witnessing a significant expansion of cooperation with German companies.

With over 200 German companies operating in Zhangjiagang, the city's welcoming environment and commitment to providing exceptional services and support to German enterprises have fostered a strong and enduring partnership, further fueling economic growth.

In 2018, BMW Group and Great Wall Motor partnered up to establish Spotlight Automotive in the Zhangjiagang Economic and Technological Development Zone. The construction of the 5.1-billion-yuan ($705.29 million) production base began in 2020, and after its completion, it is expected to manufacture 160,000 pure electric passenger vehicles annually.

Wacker, a German technological leader in the chemical industry, has since 2004 been expanding its operations in Zhangjiagang and its production base in the city has become one of the largest within the group. Wacker is currently advancing a 150-million-yuan project that can produce 9,000 metric tons of organic silicon rubber per year in Zhangjiagang.

Merck has also moved to localize its semiconductor business in Zhangjiagang. In May of last year, Merck signed an agreement to build a plant in the city for semiconductor thin films and electronic special gases. Construction on the 550-million-yuan project, which is Merck's largest single investment in China, commenced in September and is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2024.