BERLIN - Near the heart of the German city of Hamburg is a warehouse complex that dates back to the late 19th century. Situated in the free-port area, it was where large amounts of tea, silk and porcelain from China were once stored.

Today, this warehouse district still features carpet shops, a spice museum and an international maritime museum - a legacy of the trade along the ancient Silk Road in this port city.

The relationship between Germany and China dates back centuries, said Stefan Matz, director for international business of the Hamburg Business Development Corp.

According to historical literature, in 1731, the first merchant ship from Guangzhou, in South China's Guangdong province, slowly pulled into the port of Hamburg loaded with tea, silk and porcelain.

"Hamburg's enthusiasm and interest in China remains unbroken," Matz said.

Today, about 4,200 overseas Chinese live and work in the Hamburg metropolitan area, while about 550 Chinese companies have set up branch offices in Hamburg, some of which are the companies' European headquarters.

Hamburg is affectionately known as the Castle of the Chinese by many local Chinese residents.

Since the 1980s, China has gradually become the most important trading partner of the port of Hamburg.

Today, 50 percent of German trade with China is transported via Hamburg. Figures show cargo to and from China accounted for about one-third of the total container throughput at the port of Hamburg.

With the implementation of China's Belt and Road Initiative, Hamburg is also becoming a hub for overland connections between China and Europe.

The Zhengzhou-Europe international shuttle line, Harbin-Europe freight line, as well as the newly-opened Hexin'ou (Hefei-Xinjiang-Europe) cargo line are increasingly popular freight connections between Hamburg and China.

Hamburg's economy has benefited for many years from the city's extensive economic ties with China. Therefore, it is seeking to intensify bilateral economic relations between China and Hamburg, said Corinna Nienstedt, director of the international division at the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce.

For Hamburg, the Belt and Road Initiative is an excellent opportunity to consolidate Hamburg's pioneering role as the oldest and most important port for China in Germany, she added.

Meanwhile, related infrastructure and logistics projects, such as the expansion of rail lines and the construction of port facilities, are expected to open up new business opportunities for Hamburg companies, Nienstedt said.

With the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, both sides can attain huge benefits, and "bilateral economic cooperation will certainly achieve a greater leap in terms of quality and quantity," said Fan Xuan, editor-in-chief of the Chinese language newspaper European News.

Xinhua