In 2010, the Hamburg Ballet brought Neumeier's Lady of the Camellias, based on Alexandre Dumas' novel, to Beijing and the choreographer met Feng Ying, the new director of the National Ballet of China, who persuaded him to reproduce one of his works in China. After several days of observing the company and its dancers, Neumeier was convinced that a collaboration would be promising.

"Impressed by the serene and deep concentration of some of the dancers, their honest emotional quality and a unique aspect in their movement quality－certainly influenced by Chinese classical dance－my first choice is The Little Mermaid," he wrote in his letter before the 2012 premiere in China.