The growing Chinese market is the reason for the newly-opened German Engineering Federation (VDMA) representative office in Beijing, says VDMA managing director Dr Hannes Hesse.

Hesse said the Chinese market was currently the most important sales market for 10 of the 31 VDMA industrial sectors.

"We are certain our representative office will be of assistance, especially to small and medium sized German engineering companies in helping them establish a foothold in the Chinese market and in finding a location there," Hesse said.

The office will serve the VDMA's 3,000 member companies, representing around 40 per cent of the European capital goods industry.

It will provide services in the following key areas:
- market observation
- marketing support
- building networks
- public relations
- overseeing trade associations' interests

Individual companies will be offered an "office-in-office" concept that includes office infrastructure, sales support and help in finding suitable Chinese employees.

With the China office, the VDMA is consolidating and expanding its international activities.

Former international business relations head Gudrun Seitz, who has lived in China for 20 years, will be the office's director.