Asia and Oceania

Are you a German company that wants to expand globally, transform your foreign business activities or is looking for interesting investment objects? Or are you an international investor looking to expand your business opportunities in the German or European market? No matter where you come from, what your ambitions are or what language you speak, KPMG International Business offers you the support that is right for you.

We cluster our cross-border business into the four market regions Africa/Middle East, Americas, Asia/Oceania and Europe, each with their own specific challenges and market conditions. In addition, we are represented in numerous countries by German-speaking experts on site to offer you the best possible local advice. Feel free to contact your KPMG country expert and we will take care of your concerns.

The center of the global economy is increasingly shifting to Asia. Emerging economies are maturing into trailblazers, while less developed nations are rapidly catching up. Since 2018, for the first time, more people worldwide belong economically to the middle class than live in poverty or are at risk of poverty. A key reason for this is the consistently high growth of countries in East and South Asia.

In mid-November 2020, 15 countries from the Asia-Pacific region (including, for example, Australia, China, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and New Zealand) signed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). In terms of population, RCEP is the largest free trade area in the world, with over 2.2 billion people living in the region. Together, these countries account for almost a third of the world's trade volume and are thus already almost on a par with the European Union (EU).

Many German companies and SMEs have benefited from the "Chinese economic miracle". For example, the Belt and Road Initiative, also known as the Silk Road Project, offers numerous investment opportunities and links a wide variety of economic areas. The Eurasian continent is to grow closer together as a result. The new Silk Road runs from China to the center of Europe and ends at Europe's largest inland port in Duisburg.

Independently of this, there are also new opportunities in the Asian economic region. Vietnam, Laos, the Philippines and Indonesia are probably the most promising countries in the Southeast Asian Pacific region in economic terms. These countries are characterized by large domestic markets, have a highly educated workforce and are favorably located in terms of logistics. Also noteworthy is the common desire of the EU and the Asian states to expand free trade. One example of this is the JEFTA free trade agreement, which has largely eliminated tariffs between Japan and the EU since 2020.

Thanks to its dynamism, the Asia-Pacific region creates suitable business opportunities for many German companies. We support you in turning the region's opportunities into successful business.

In our survey of German companies in China, the German Business in China: Business Confidence Survey 2021/2022, it became clear that China continues to be an attractive growth market for German companies. For example, 60 percent of the companies surveyed expect sales to increase by more than five percent and 41 percent expect profits to increase by more than five percent in 2022. Nevertheless, business activities in China also face numerous challenges, such as the decoupling of the West from China or the introduction of the social credit system.

India is also a growth engine and is becoming increasingly important in geopolitical and economic terms, as our survey of German companies in India, the German Indian Business Outlook 2023, shows. For example, Germany is India's most important trading partner within the EU and sixth most important trading partner worldwide. With its population growth, increasing prosperity and “education offensive”, India is full of possibilities and opportunities. 

Japan, the country known as the land of the rising sun is noted for its economic, cultural and innovative achievements. As our economic outlook German Business in Japan 2022 shows, the Japanese market remains very profitable and highly important for German companies, despite the difficult conditions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.