Leica Microsystems CEO highlights global collaboration during China state visit
5 Mar 2026
Leica Microsystems has announced that its President and CEO, Dr. Annette Rinck, accompanied German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz as part of the German economic delegation during the state visit to China.
As a representative of a German technology company operating globally, Dr. Rinck was invited to contribute a statement at a high-level economic roundtable attended by Chinese Premier Li Qiang and German Chancellor Merz, among others.
In her remarks, Dr. Rinck emphasized the importance of reliable framework conditions, consistent industry standards, and open dialogue as essential enablers of innovation, quality, and long-term value creation in a complex global environment.
“Our participation in this economic delegation highlights the importance of mutual understanding in today's dynamic global environment. We see Leica Microsystems as an active market participant, deeply rooted in China and working in partnership with institutions, customers, industry representatives, and authorities," said Dr. Rinck.
"Advancing innovation across life sciences, biotechnology, healthcare and industrial applications strengthens value chains in both, China and Germany. Reliable framework conditions and efficient processes help ensure that innovations developed together reach users quickly and are of highest quality, contributing to our shared goal of creating a better and healthier world,” she added.
As part of Danaher, Leica Microsystems benefits from a connected innovation ecosystem linking scientific expertise, advanced technologies, and operational scale. This network enables customers in China and globally to advance innovation across complex workflows. It contributes to research and advanced manufacturing to medical innovation and the acceleration of drug discovery and development.
Reflecting on the visit, Dr. Rinck emphasized the value of relationship-building and direct exchange. “This state visit created space for further dialogue and trusted exchange with Chinese government and industry representatives. This dialogue allows us to learn from one another – including the speed of execution at scale – while respecting consistent processes and standards that help turn innovation potential into real-world impact," she explained.