New Momentum in China-Germany Intelligent Manufacturing Cooperation

At the Canton Fair's first dedicated drone zone, Chinese makers pitched system-level solutions instead of hardware alone, and German buyers listened. Metro, Lidl and Kaufland sent procurement teams; Severin has attended for over 30 years and now scouts future product technologies.

From hardware to system solutions

At the newly launched drone exhibition zone at the spring session of the Canton Fair, Chinese manufacturers were no longer pitching hardware alone. The talk was of emergency rescue, public safety, industrial drone payloads and system-level solutions: a sign that Chinese exporters are graduating from selling products to selling integrated capabilities.

That shift is opening fresh room for cooperation with Germany, as buyers there look beyond cost advantages to partners who can offer customized solutions, support product planning and sustain long-term supplier relationships.

The drone zone window

The 139th session opened in Guangzhou on April 15, 2026. Its first phase, themed advanced manufacturing, drew about 167,000 overseas buyers from 216 countries and regions, up 5.9 percent from the equivalent phase a year earlier.

The new drone zone, 24 companies strong, and a first for the fair, became a window onto how that cooperation is changing at the high end. Guangzhou Chengzhi Intelligent Machinery Technology, attending for the first time, focuses on industrial drone payloads used in emergency rescue, public safety and other scenarios across more than 50 countries and regions. Vice president Zhang Kai said Germany accounts for about 8 percent of its overseas business, and that European clients strongly recognize Chinese drone technology.

Peer companies report the same demand. Zhejiang RongQe Technology has received inquiries from several German companies, according to vice president Liu Junjie, who credited Chinese drone makers' complete supply chains, relatively low costs and reliable quality: when customers need industry-specific customization, Chinese manufacturers become the compelling choice.

German buyers keep coming, and stay longer

Germany has long been a fixture at the fair. Metro and Lidl and Kaufland both sent procurement teams this year, underscoring steady demand for Chinese suppliers. At a matchmaking event, a sales representative from KSKIN, a Zhuhai maker of home beauty and hair care devices, sat down with a Lidl and Kaufland procurement team and moved through product specifications, certification requirements and delivery timelines within half an hour. The buyer had already requested samples, and the deal looked very likely to go ahead.

For German companies, the fair remains a supplier-hunting ground, but it has become something more: a venue for scouting new technologies, new categories and partners who can shape future products. Severin Elektrogerate GmbH has attended for more than 30 years; its chief technology officer, Can Yildirim, said the company sent core teams from procurement and product development both to deepen ties with existing suppliers and to explore technologies that could feed future product planning.

Business representatives see the relationship moving beyond conventional goods trade toward deeper technological collaboration and joint innovation. As the low-altitude economy, service robotics and green low-carbon products mature, Chinese exhibitors are increasingly presenting technology, application scenarios and integrated solutions, not just manufacturing capacity, as the basis for industrial cooperation.

Figures in this report come from the organiser and the outlets cited below. We have not independently re-counted attendance, orders or exhibitor numbers.