STUTTGART, April 16 (Xinhua) -- German automotive supplier Bosch said China remained a key growth driver in 2025, as it reported steady annual performance on Thursday despite continued pressure from weak global markets.

The company posted sales of about 91 billion euros (107.4 billion U.S. dollars) in 2025, up slightly from 90.3 billion euros (106.6 billion dollars) a year earlier. Adjusted for currency effects, revenue rose 4.1 percent. Its earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) margin stood at 2 percent, weighed down by cost pressures and subdued market conditions.

Bosch's sales in China rose 4.9 percent to 149.8 billion yuan (22.5 billion dollars) in 2025, highlighting the country's continued role as a core pillar of its global operations.

The group said its China business recorded broad-based growth across key segments. Smart mobility expanded on the back of local innovation and partnerships, industrial technology posted double-digit growth driven by restructuring and recovering demand, while energy and building technology grew following acquisitions in residential and light commercial heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

Stefan Hartung, chairman of the board of management of the Bosch Group, said the company would continue to ramp up investment in China to about 6 billion yuan (900 million dollars) annually. He added that the country remains a key growth engine for its global business and is increasingly emerging as a major hub for technological innovation. ■