Wuhan and Duisburg

　　Duisburg is a key industrial city in Germany’s western Ruhr region and a major transport hub in Europe, integrating both waterway and land transportation. It is home to the world’s largest inland port. Additionally, Duisburg Port serves as the most extensive and frequent logistics hub with the highest volume and value along the China-Europe Railway Express route. As a crucial node in the Belt and Road Initiative, Duisburg has played a pioneering role in advancing China-Germany relations across multiple sectors.

　　Wuhan and Duisburg share a longstanding friendship. Since becoming sister cities in 1982, the two have maintained close cooperation across various fields, including science and education, economy and trade, transportation, culture and tourism, healthcare, urban landscaping, and sports. Their partnership has yielded remarkable results and numerous stories of fruitful exchanges. As Duisburg Mayor Sören Link once said, “Duisburg and Wuhan can be considered pioneers in China’s reform and opening-up. Thanks to this policy and the close ties between our cities, these two ‘cities of water and fire’ have found renewed vitality through their integration.”

The First Sister Cities Between China and Germany

　　Forty-seven years ago, as China embarked on its reform and opening-up, Wuhan took the lead in embracing international cooperation, bringing in the Duisburg-based consortium from Germany to support the development of its steel industry.

　　Between 1978 and 1982, Duisburg enterprises — including Mannesmann-Demag, Krupp-Industrie-Technik, and Thyssen Consulting — jointly invested in establishing a cold-rolling steel plant in Wuhan. At the time, more than 300 engineers and their families lived in Wuhan, the majority of whom came from Duisburg.

　　There is a well-known story about how Wuhan and Duisburg became sister cities.

　　One day, a German engineer took his wife, who had just arrived in Wuhan, for a walk along the Yangtze River. As she gazed at the confluence of the Hanjiang and Yangtze rivers, she was reminded of her hometown — Duisburg, a city likewise shaped by the

meeting of the Rhine and its tributary, and known for its industrial heritage. Deeply moved by the resemblance, she immediately wrote a letter to the mayor of Duisburg, expressing her hope for the city to establish a sister-city relationship with Wuhan.

　　In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Wuhan and Duisburg exchanged official delegations. Duisburg’s first delegation to China included not only the mayor and several government officials but also a group of entrepreneurs. When Wuhan sent a return delegation, it similarly included many executives from state-owned enterprises.

　　Following these mutual visits, on October 8, 1982, the mayors of both cities signed an agreement establishing their sister-city relationship. This made Wuhan and Duisburg the first sister cities between China and Germany.

The video above captures the historic moment when the Wuhan-Duisburg sister-city partnership was officially formed. Source: Duisburg Municipal Government / Dr. Theo Messing
China’s First Foreign Factory Director Since the Reform
and Opening-up: Werner Gerich

In 1984, the Duisburg city government recommended German expert Werner Gerich to provide technical consultancy for Wuhan Diesel Engine Plant. Soon after, Gerich was appointed as the factory’s director, serving from November 1, 1984, to November 4, 1986 — making him the first foreign factory director in China since the launch of the reform and opening-up.

Upon taking office, Gerich initiated bold reforms, implementing strict management and leading by example. Under his leadership, Wuhan Diesel Engine Plant saw significant improvements in both fundamental operations and workforce quality.

During his tenure at Wuhan Diesel Engine Plant, Werner Gerich closely

followed the city’s development, China’s construction efforts, and the country’s economic reforms. He put forward a series of constructive recommendations, which earned widespread recognition within the business community. Many Wuhan enterprises visited the factory to learn from his management practices. Beyond sharing his expertise with local factory directors, Gerich was also invited to provide technical guidance and lectures in Jiangxi, Inner Mongolia, Zhejiang, Guangxi, etc.

In 2018, he was posthumously awarded the China Reform Friendship Medal. Today, a bronze bust of Gerich stands in the Hanzheng Street Urban Industrial Zone.

The First Sister Gardens Between China and Germany:
Yingqu Garden

　　Along the banks of the Ruhr River in Duisburg lies Yingqu Garden, a classical Chinese garden imbued with the elegance of Chu Culture. Covering an area of 5,400 square meters, this garden was a gift from the people of Wuhan to their German friends, presented after Wuhan and Duisburg became sister cities in 1982.

　　To build an authentic Chinese garden in Duisburg, Wuhan Zoo first constructed a full mortise-and-tenon wooden structure in 1985. The garden was then carefully dismantled, packed into 14 shipping containers, and transported across the ocean to Germany. Following the shipment, Wuhan sent a ten-member team to Duisburg, where they worked tirelessly to reconstruct Yingqu Garden within the Duisburg Zoo. Through this collaborative effort, the Wuhan team forged a deep and lasting friendship with their German counterparts.

　　When Yingqu Garden in Duisburg opened in 1988, it became a cultural bridge for Germans to learn about China. Today, the garden welcomes approximately 800,000 visitors annually and enjoys widespread recognition across Germany.

　　Starting in 2021, Wuhan’s experts in classical garden architecture began holding virtual meetings with relevant departments in Duisburg to discuss restoration techniques. Around 40 tons of traditional garden restoration materials were transported to Duisburg via the China-Europe Railway Express to support the renovation. On August 17, 2022, the restored Yingqu Garden was reopened to the public.

“Wuhan China” — Germany’s First Train Named
After a Foreign City

　　In September 2015, Deutsche Bahn (German Federal Railway) held a ceremony in Duisburg to name a passenger train operating in the Ruhr region “Wuhan China.” This marked the first time in Deutsche Bahn’s history that a passenger train was named after a foreign city.

　　Additionally, Wuhan and Duisburg have fostered productive exchanges in sports, science and education, and culture. For example, Duisburg has sent athletes multiple times to participate in Wuhan Yangtze River Crossing Festival; the Duisburger Philharmoniker and the Wuhan Philharmonic Orchestra have frequently exchanged musicians for cultural collaborations; young football players from Wuhan have traveled to Duisburg for football training programs.