Wuhan: The city that wants to overtake Germany
15 million inhabitants, 93 universities, 1.3 million students. Wuhan is not just any Chinese city – it's China's answer to Silicon Valley. A visit on location.
„We are not yet the leaders. We are still learning.“ A company executive in Wuhan said – and meant it seriously. But then he added: „Germany is already behind us.“
Wuhan has integrated the digital intelligence economy into its 2026-2030 development plan, identifying future fields such as artificial intelligence and brain-computer interfaces. This is not an announcement – it is already a lived reality.
93 Universities – Not a Coincidence
Wuhan has more university students than any other city in the world. 1.18 million students in basic education alone – and this in a city that was considered purely an industrial city just 20 years ago. This mass of talent is not an end in itself: it is the foundation for technological change.
Huawei has established its largest R&D center in Central China in Wuhan. Xiaomi followed. Semiconductor manufacturers such as Yangtze Memory Technologies and Wuhan Xinxin have settled in Optics Valley.
What Austria has to do with it
RHI Magnesita – Austria's global refractory materials champion – is in direct competition with Chinese companies from the Wuhan region. One local entrepreneur explicitly named RHI Magnesita as their main competitor. That's not a compliment – it's a declaration of war.
China learns from Germany and Japan – but it's catching up. Faster than most in Europe want to admit. Wuhan is proof: an industrial city is transforming into an innovation metropolis. Vienna should watch closely.
