As China continues to pursue innovation-driven and green development, Germany's Voith Group sees growing opportunities to work more closely with local partners across multiple industries, providing advanced technologies and long-term solutions that support the country's high-quality development, a senior executive said.

Headquartered in Heidenheim, Germany, Voith believes that China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) will create significant momentum, reflecting the country's continued emphasis on innovation, sustainable development and openness to global cooperation. Founded in 1867, Voith today operates in more than 60 countries and regions, making it one of Europe's largest family-owned industrial companies.

"China is not only a key market for us, but also an increasingly important source of innovation, engineering capability, and system-level experience," said Jan Luder, president and CEO of Voith Hydro. "Our intention is not simply to participate in individual projects, but to build long-term capabilities together with customers and partners in China."

Since establishing its first legal entity in China in 1994 through joint ventures with Shanghai Electric, Voith has expanded its presence to 15 plants and facilities nationwide. By combining global engineering expertise with localized development, the group supports key sectors including hydropower, papermaking and transportation infrastructure, contributing to reliable energy supply, efficient industrial production and modern mobility.

According to Luder, China has evolved into one of the world's most sophisticated industrial and infrastructure markets, characterized by scale, complexity and system integration challenges rarely seen elsewhere.

This transformation is reflected in a number of landmark projects. From early participation in the Three Gorges Hydropower Project to supplying equipment for the world's largest paper machine, Hainan PM2, and supporting high-speed rail and urban metro systems, Voith's technologies have been closely aligned with China's efforts to modernize its energy and industrial base.

Hydropower, in particular, illustrates how international cooperation and local execution have come together over time. One representative example is the Wudongde Hydropower Station, commissioned during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), where Voith supplied six turbine-generator units.

Luder noted that Voith's development in China has never been a one-directional process. Long-term cooperation with Chinese customers, joint ventures and close collaboration across the supply chain have raised expectations on both sides, while fostering a shared understanding of values such as quality, reliability and sustainable development.

Today, Voith China has developed into one of the global hubs for the group, with localized manufacturing, integrated supply chains, engineering expertise and full life-cycle service capabilities, reflecting the growing importance of strong local execution and long-term service capabilities.

After decades of rapid capacity expansion, hydropower now operates in a different system context, Luder said.

"As wind and solar power continue to scale up, hydropower is being called upon to play a greater role in flexibility, safety and grid stability," he added. "Pumped storage plants, in particular, are emerging as critical infrastructure." Building on its track record, Voith is supporting several major pumped storage projects across China.

At the same time, Voith's focus has expanded beyond equipment delivery. This life-cycle oriented approach reflects what Chinese customers increasingly look for in their partners — the ability to support assets from design and construction to operation, modernization and performance optimization, while advancing digitalization and intelligent solutions.

Voith's global five-year roadmap focuses on leading technologies and responsible resource use, aligning with China's high-quality, sustainable development. "China is evolving into a source of global solutions," Luder said. "By leveraging our technologies and experience, we will continue to create value and serve the evolving needs of the Chinese market."