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As an engine for high-quality development, innovation continues to drive China’s economy toward new levels of excellence, which in turn creates significant market opportunities for specialty chemical manufacturers like Wacker Chemie. In response, Hu Wentao, President of Wacker Chemie (China) Co., Ltd., said that by 2026, Wacker will move forward with even greater determination, focusing on four key areas to further develop its presence in the Chinese market. The company will seize the historical opportunities brought about by new forms of productivity and work together with its partners to create a new chapter of high-quality development. Hu Wentao said that the Chinese market for high-end chemicals holds tremendous potential, enabling China to become not only a driving force for growth in the global chemical industry but also a testing ground for innovative applications worldwide. China’s new-type productive forces are developing rapidly, with emerging industries such as new energy vehicles, artificial intelligence, the low-altitude economy, and big data growing swiftly, thereby driving a continuous increase in the demand for high-performance materials, electronic chemicals, and advanced specialty chemicals. At the same time, the traditional manufacturing sector is accelerating its transformation and upgrading, providing the chemical industry with broad application prospects and development opportunities. Hu Wentao explained that since entering China in 1993, Wacker has always adhered to the philosophy of \"in China, for China,\" continuously increasing its local investment in research and development. By the end of 2025, Wacker had invested nearly 1.2 billion euros in China. It currently operates three production facilities in Zhangjiagang, Nanjing, and Jining, as well as two technology centers in Shanghai and Jining. In addition, there are 6 sales offices, over 30 R&D and application laboratories, and four technical competence centers, thus establishing a localized infrastructure that covers R&D, production, and sales. In May 2025, the expansion project for specialty silicones at the Zhangjiagang facility was completed, becoming Wacker’s largest single investment project in China in 15 years. The expansion project includes several new production lines for silicone emulsions, functional silicone oils, and silicone elastomer gels. The completion of this project further strengthens Wacker’s production capacity for silicone products in China, and enhances the global strategic layout of Wacker’s specialty silicone chemicals. In terms of research and development, Wacker continues to strengthen its local innovation capabilities. In 2020, a global technology center for thermal interface materials was established in Shanghai, focusing on the development of silicone thermal materials for the electric vehicle and electronics industries. In the field of automotive intelligence, Wacker offers comprehensive solutions that include optical silicones, sealants, adhesives, etc., which are widely used in key components such as connectors, cables, chips, and in-vehicle displays. In fields such as renewable energy and high-end manufacturing, Wacker’s silicone rubber and polymer products also play an important role, such as adhesives for encapsulating photovoltaic modules, sealing materials for high-speed trains, and silicone joints for industrial robots. As AI servers and data centers require more advanced heat management solutions, the silicon-based liquid cooling technology developed by Wacker has been introduced. This technology enables efficient heat dissipation, helps data centers reduce their energy consumption, and supports sustainable development. Looking ahead to 2026, Hu Wentao said that Wacker will continue to commit itself fully to the Chinese market, focusing on the following four areas. First, strengthen the portfolio of high-value-added products. Wacker will continue to provide technologically advanced, high-value specialty chemicals and solutions to meet the diverse needs of industries such as new energy vehicles, semiconductors, and green buildings, thereby helping its customers to upgrade their products and technologies. Second, leverage the advantages of the local industrial chain. Leveraging the comprehensive supply chain and service network established in China, Wacker will continue to improve efficiency and response times through digital transformation and lean operations, thereby laying the foundation for its faster and better development in the country. Third, strengthen the construction of the talent team. Talent is the core driving force behind innovation. Wacker will continue to improve its local talent development system, deepen partnerships with universities and research institutions, foster a diverse and dynamic corporate culture, and build a local talent ecosystem that supports long-term growth. Fourth, fulfill commitments to sustainable development. Wacker actively responds to China’s ‘dual carbon’ goals, continuously advancing green manufacturing and low-carbon transformation. Wacker is piloting the use of hydrogen to replace natural gas at its Zhangjiagang facility, while its Nanjing facility has developed a wastewater recycling process that results in the reduction of over a thousand tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year. At the same time, Wacker will accelerate the development of materials and solutions that contribute to carbon neutrality, promote coordinated carbon reduction across the supply chain, and make its part in China’s sustainable development.