"Bosch is convinced about the long-term potential of the Chinese market and we will continue to invest in China," Denner says.

Bosch's sales increased in its 2016 fiscal year. According to preliminary figures, sales rose by 3.5 percent to 73.1 billion euros ($78.6 billion; 63.4 billion). In China, it posted double-digit growth last year, which meant China remained its second-largest market worldwide.

"We see China entering a phase of more balanced and sustainable development, through the transformation of economic development patterns and economic structural reforms," Denner says.

Bosch employs 60,000 people in China. At nine of its manufacturing plants in the country, the company runs pilot projects following Germany's Industry 4.0 strategy - a concept that promotes the digitalization of its manufacturing. The initiative is now being hailed as the way forward for manufacturing companies. The first Chinese Industry 4.0 pilot project in Suzhou started three years ago.

Starting this year, Bosch will export products manufactured at its China facilities to European countries via the China-Europe railway, a new move to participate in the fast development brought about by the Belt and Road Initiative.

According to Bosch, a large number of mobile machines produced by China's original equipment manufacturers are equipped with Bosch's drive and control solutions and are showing excellent performance.

Bosch is also supporting Chinese OEM customers, including SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Co in Indonesia and SAIC Motor Corp in Thailand, with its mobility solutions to develop their businesses in the markets of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

"Even though the shift by many multinationals is still in the early stages, it will have profound economic implications for both themselves and the Chinese market, because it comes at a time when many developing economies along the initiative are counting on China to develop urbanization and manufacturing projects," says Sun Fuquan, an analyst at the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development in Beijing.

zhongnan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily European Weekly 03/24/2017 page27)