HANNOVER, Germany, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Jochen Koeckler, Chairman of the Managing Board of Deutsche Messe AG, the organizer of Germany's Hannover Messe, said that Chinese products and solutions are gaining growing recognition from international exhibitors and buyers at the fair.

Hannover Messe is one of the world's premier industrial trade fairs. This year's edition brought together around 4,000 exhibitors from 62 countries and regions. Among approximately 1,000 companies represented this year, China is the second-largest exhibitor group after the host country Germany.

"The presence of Chinese companies this year is very strong," Koeckler said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua, emphasizing both the scale and the innovation of Chinese participants. He noted that in fields such as electrical engineering, robotics, and digitalization, Chinese engineers are demonstrating advancing expertise and impressive innovation.

Industrial artificial intelligence (AI) was the central theme of this year's five-day event, which concluded on Friday. The theme highlighted AI's transformative role in the future of manufacturing.

"Ten years ago, communicating with machines was the stuff of science fiction. Now, it's becoming reality and is set to significantly boost productivity over the next five years," Koeckler said, adding that Chinese companies are making notable progress in this area.

He also highlighted the growing digital innovation of Chinese developers, as reflected in their close collaborations with German counterparts. One such example at this year's Hannover Messe was a partnership between Siemens and Triastek, a Chinese pharmaceutical firm specializing in 3D printing and digitalization. Together, they showcased innovative capsules developed using 3D printing and digital dosage form technology.

Among these, one capsule design unfolds like a flower within the stomach, enabling prolonged retention and controlled drug release, significantly enhancing therapeutic efficacy. This breakthrough has already been adopted by pharmaceutical companies in both China and Germany, including Merck, a leading German science and technology company.

"Through exchange, we achieve win-win outcomes and grow stronger together," Koeckler said.

He stressed that healthy competition and collaboration must be underpinned by a free and fair global trade system. Expressing concern over rising uncertainty in international markets-particularly due to new U.S. tariffs, he warned that such trade barriers risk disrupting the global trade balance.

"I hope we can preserve a free and open market where the best products can compete," he said. As Hannover Messe continues to serve as a global platform for industrial cooperation, Koeckler emphasized that open collaboration, technological innovation, and fair competition will remain essential drivers of progress in the years to come.

Reflecting on his recent visit to Shanghai, Koeckler expressed admiration for China's rapid progress in new energy and smart logistics. "China's strategy for electric vehicles is being implemented in a very consistent way. It was impressive to see so many electric cars with green license plates," he said.