German delegation upbeat about Chinese tech-savvy biomedical firms

A German delegation of scientists and senior executives from leading biomedical and biotechnology companies expressed their confidence in the Chinese biomedical industry after their week-long visit impressed them with fast-growing market and rapid technological development.

Organized by the China International Investment Promotion Agency (CIPA) in Germany, the tour included visits to major biomedical industry hubs and enterprises, project matchmaking and promotional events, as well as meetings with relevant government institutions. It aimed at further strengthening bilateral cooperation and investment in the biomedical industry.

"I think it's, first of all, a very good opportunity for us to get much better acquainted with the situation in China. Well, China has done an enormous development in the area of health-related products, particularly important is the production of pharmaceutical ingredients where China is the world market leader. The Chinese market is of course a very important market for all kinds of pharmaceutical companies," said Hubertus Cranz, former director general of German Medicines Manufacturers' Association.

Impressed by rapid technological development in the Chinese biomedical industry, some of the visiting executives said they want to increase their business presence in the country's growing market.

"The knowledge of the technology, the experience in the medical field, is definitely highly developed in China. And it gives us a good chance to learn from this experience. On the other side, we also want to participate in the growing market, to bring some our products or our ideas to make the business from both sides," said Christoph Lehrich, general manager of Vision Technology Systems, a manufacturer of medical products in the field of medical supply systems.

"Personally, I believe this is one of the major growth markets in China. What I'm quite impressed about is actually the sheer mass of scientists that you have on various different fields, starting with chemistry, biology, but also of course in medicine, in AI, in data-driven science," said Clauf Kremoser, the CEO of WMT AG, a provider of inflammation and cancer therapeutics.

Talking about the significance of the China tour, Andrea Hocker, public relations specialist of the German branch of CIPA, said that the visit help German industry insiders develop a deeper understanding of the Chinese biomedical industry and market so that they can form insights of their own.

"So, as the China International Investment Promotion Agency in Germany, it is our job to promote investment and to promote economic cooperation. So, this way, by taking the delegation to China, we can make a better and more deeper and long-lasting impression, and show them what the market entrance conditions are in China and what the industry actually looks like," she said.

German delegation upbeat about Chinese tech-savvy biomedical firms

China's Shenzhou-18 crew members on the Tiangong Space Station are preparing for their second extravehicular activities (EVAs) by conducting training that includes science experiments and orbital maneuvers.

Astronauts Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu have completed one-third of their six-month mission with stable physical and operational conditions in orbit, since they aboarded the Tiangong two month ago.

During their training, the astronauts used advanced remotely control systems for rendezvous and docking operations on in-orbit training systems and metacognitive training systems, practicing skills such as recognizing images, manual docking, remote docking, and safely undocking of the spacecraft under different initial conditions.

Throughout the training, the astronauts monitored the orientation and relative distance and speed of target spacecraft on screens, practicing precise control of the speed and orientation using specialized handles.

Last week, the crew also underwent exercise-based cardiopulmonary function tests. These tests assess the cardiovascular and respiratory capabilities needed for upcoming spacewalks, using methods to simulate exercise-induced metabolic demands.

The Shenzhou-18 crew was launched into space on April 25, as the third manned mission during the application and development stage of China's space station and the 32nd flight mission of the country's manned space program overall.

The crew members completed their first spacewalk on May 28, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

China's Shenzhou-18 crew trains for 2nd spacewalk