North Rhine-Westphalia and Düsseldorf celebrate the Chinese New Year
The state capital Düsseldorf and the state-owned foreign trade and investment agency NRW.Global Business hosted the traditional New Year's reception for the Chinese business community on Wednesday, March 18, 2025. Düsseldorf's Mayor, Dr. Stephan Keller, Paul Höller, State Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, and Yong Yu, Consul General of the People's Republic of China, welcomed approximately 160 guests – including numerous representatives of Chinese companies and institutions from Düsseldorf and North Rhine-Westphalia with ties to the Chinese economy.
The Chinese New Year reception not only celebrates the beginning of the Year of the Fire Horse, which traditionally symbolizes dynamism, energy and new beginnings but also underscores the close economic partnership between Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia and China. North Rhine-Westphalia remains a key location for Chinese investment in Europe – thanks to its strong industrial environment, central location and excellent infrastructure.
This strength is evident in concrete new business establishments and expansions: Ningbo Benniao Supply Chain Co., Ltd. is expanding its operations and, through its subsidiary Rush HUB Fulfillment GmbH & Co. KG, is strengthening its logistics operations in Aachen. Zhejiang Jiuli Hi-Tech Co., Ltd. is also continuing to invest in North Rhine-Westphalia, further developing its Kreuztal location with its subsidiary Jiuli Europe GmbH and consolidating its German and European business there. Düsseldorf plays a special role within the overall region: The state capital serves as a central hub for many companies from Greater China and has been shaped by a large Chinese community for decades. Currently, around 1,000 companies from Greater China are represented in North Rhine-Westphalia, approximately 715 of them in Düsseldorf.
Chinese companies continue to choose Düsseldorf as their location. For example, in 2025, Sichuan Changhong Electric Co., Ltd., a manufacturer of televisions and displays from North Rhine-Westphalia's partner province of Sichuan, established a presence in Düsseldorf. The company is one of China's major electronics manufacturers and sells its products internationally, including under the CHiQ brand. Xiaomi, which has had its European headquarters in Düsseldorf since 2019, has expanded its presence: Xiaomi Retail, responsible for the retail distribution of Xiaomi products, has recently been added.
Furthermore, the city is seeing a growing presence of Chinese lifestyle brands. These brands are increasingly positioning themselves with high-quality and modern products in areas such as e-mobility, gastronomy and fashion, including branches of BYD, Nio, Cotti Coffee, Coco and Miniso.