Nation's auto industry makes accords at forum

The 20th International Forum (TEDA) on Chinese Automotive Industry Development concluded in early September in Tianjin with the establishment of five consensuses on policy trends, corporate strategies, green industry development and advanced technology applications.

The forum saw the participation of more than 100 representatives from ministries, auto company boards and industry experts.

One of the consensuses reached during the forum is to accelerate the development of new quality productive forces through technological innovation and strengthen the application of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, 5G and big data.

The aim is to secure a competitive edge in the latter phase of competition within the new energy vehicle industry, particularly in the realm of intelligent technologies, said the China Automotive Technology and Research Center, one of the organizers of the forum.

The first half of the competition is about electrification, an area where the Chinese automotive industry has established a strong foothold globally.

Statistics from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers show that from January to July, China's vehicle sales totaled 16.31 million units, a year-on-year increase of 4.4 percent. Among these, sales of NEVs reached 5.93 million units, accounting for more than 60 percent of the global market share for NEVs.

In July alone, passenger NEVs accounted for more than 50 percent of sales for the first time, reaching 878,000 units. It signals dominance over traditional internal combustion engine vehicles and their emergence as the new mainstream in the Chinese auto market, An Tiecheng, chairman of China Automotive Technology and Research Center, said at the forum.

In the intelligence sector, passenger NEVs with Level 2 driving-assist functions account for 56 percent of market share. Level 3 vehicles are undergoing pilot demonstrations for access and on-road operation. Level 4 testing is pioneering commercialization in sectors like buses, taxis and ride-hailing.

Xin Guobin, vice-minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said at the forum that the MIIT will continue to support innovation in auto technology like chips and autonomous driving, advance infrastructure like charging stations and road testing, and promote development of the vehicle-energy-road-cloud ecosystem.

The forum also suggested establishing an innovation system with carmakers as the mainstay, promoting collaboration among academic, industry and research institutions. It should focus on technologies such as advanced power batteries, new chassis architectures, advanced autonomous driving and foundational software to accelerate the transformation of technological achievements into production.

Another consensus is to enhance global competitiveness by accelerating auto industry expansion, a shift from exporting products to exporting industry capabilities.

From January to July, China exported 3.48 million vehicles, a 25.5 percent increase compared to the same period of 2023, continuing to lead global vehicle exports with products entering major markets in Europe, America and Japan.

Meanwhile, leading Chinese automakers are accelerating the establishment of overseas factories. More than 30 of them have set up more than 70 factories abroad. These factories have a total production capacity nearing 2 million vehicles annually.

This signifies a shift from exporting products to exporting brands and ecosystems, enhancing the global competitiveness of the auto industry in China, said An.

The TEDA forum also highlights the importance of policy to ensure industry stability and long-term growth. This includes implementing the policy of replacing old vehicles with new ones, which can help accelerate the promotion of NEVs and the recycling of old vehicles.

It also emphasizes the continual refinement of access standards and safety regulations for emerging technologies like autonomous driving and connected vehicles to provide support for technological innovation and commercial implementation.