-----Original Message-----
From: Peter Loescher
Sent: Friday, May 14, 2010 8:58 AM
To: mememe
Subject: Letter to all employees
Dear colleagues,
Today, May 14, only two weeks after U.S. President Barack Obama toured our rotor plant in the U.S., we’ve witnessed another proud moment in Siemens’ history. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited Siemens Electrical Drives Ltd., (SEDL) in Tianjin, a harbor city of about 10 million inhabitants in northeast China and his own hometown. It was the first time in decades that a Chinese premier had visited a Siemens production facility in China. It was also the Premier’s only stop at an international company during his entire tour.
The message that he delivered was no less significant than the visit itself. To the Siemens employees in Tianjin, Premier Wen announced that foreign companies like Siemens – companies that manufacture in China, employ and train people in China, invest in R&D in China and do business in China – are considered Chinese companies. And not only that: the products that these companies manufacture in China are considered local Chinese products.
This statement was greeted by long and enthusiastic applause. Mr. Wen also recalled his visit to our German headquarters in 2004. He had been impressed, he said, by the world-class standards and quality of Siemens products and production processes.
The Premier’s words were not only an acknowledgment of our century-long presence and continuing confidence in the country. They also made me feel proud personally. And I am sure that you, too, share my pride.
This recognition will lead to more development and more business opportunities for Siemens. Our heritage and our vision have been best described by my colleague Wolfgang Dehen who, in the presence of Premier Wen, stated today, “With about 150 years of history in China, we are proud to be a Chinese citizen and have become an integral part of China’s sustainable green growth. And what makes me just as proud: we will be a Chinese company for the next 150 years.”
Remember: President Obama visited us because he wants to lead the United States into a clean-energy future through “green re-industrialization,” creating “green jobs” in the process. From the President's perspective, Siemens is an excellent role model and an important trailblazer in this process.
Premier Wen Jiabao honored us as a strong local partner and an integral part of the Chinese economy.
That should make all of us very proud. It highlights our unique position as a multi-local company rooted in the world’s biggest and most dynamic markets and economies. And it further demonstrates the respect we’re receiving around the world as a Green Infrastructure Giant.
With best regards,
Peter Löscher