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Feature: Why Hamburg is known as "Castle of the Chinese"

Xinhua, August 5, 2016 Adjust font size:

Nearby the heart of German city of Hamburg, a warehouse complex from the late 19th century was erected in the free-port area, where large amounts of tea, silk and porcelain from China used to be stored.

To this day, this Warehouse City still features carpet shops, a spice museum and an international maritime museum -- the stamp that the Silk Road bore in this port city.

The relationship between Germany and China dates back centuries, said Stefan Matz, director for international business of the Hamburg Business Development Corporation.

According to historical literature, in 1731, the first merchant ship from China's Guangzhou loaded with tea, silk and porcelain slowly pulled into the port of Hamburg.

"Hamburg's enthusiasm and interest in China remain unbroken," Martz said.

Today, about 4,200 overseas Chinese live and work in the Hamburg metropolitan area, while about 550 Chinese companies have set up branch offices in Hamburg, some of them being their European headquarters.

Hamburg is affectionately called by many local overseas Chinese as the "Castle of the Chinese."

Since the 1980s, China has gradually become the most important trading partner of the port of Hamburg.

Today, 50 percent of German trade with China is transported via Hamburg. Figures show cargo to and from China accounted for about one third of total container throughput at the Port of Hamburg.

Along with the gradual implementation of the Belt and Road initiative, Hamburg is also becoming a hub for Europe-China land connection.

The Zhengzhou-Europe international shuttle line, Harbin-Europe freight line, as well as the newly-opened Hexin'ou (Hefei-Xinjiang-Europe) cargo line proves the vital connection between Hamburg and China.

Hamburg's economy has benefited for many years from extensive economic ties with China. Therefore, it is a special concern to intensify bilateral economic relations between China and Hamburg, said Corinna Nienstedt, director of the international division at the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce.

For Hamburg, the "New Silk Road" is an excellent opportunity to consolidate its pioneering role as the oldest and most important port for China in Germany, she added.

Meanwhile, the infrastructure and logistics projects associated with the New Silk Road Initiative, such as the expansion of rail lines and the construction of port facilities would open up new business opportunities for Hamburg companies, according to Corinna.

With the implementation of the Belt and Road initiative, both sides can attain huge benefits, and "bilateral economic cooperation will certainly achieve a greater leap in terms of quality and quantity," said Fan Xuan, editor-in-chief of the Chinese language newspaper European News. Endit