Sino-German cooperation boosts smart, green auto industry

BEIJING -- The China-Germany industrial park in Beijing is attracting global attention as a hub for the development of smarter and more environmentally friendly new energy vehicles (NEVs).

During a two-day forum on Sino-German industrial cooperation and development held in Beijing, participants said intelligence and eco-friendliness are providing new momentum for the next phase of global NEV industry development.

Beijing hosts R&D centers of German auto behemoths such as Daimler, BMW and Volkswagen. Its Shunyi District is a key hub for automotive industry development.

According to Du Yue, deputy head of Shunyi, the district is making strides toward becoming a leading area for the smart NEV industry. It is home to four vehicle manufacturing facilities, including Beijing Benz's NEV plant, and seven research and development centers, such as BMW's R&D center.

Song Wei, president of Beijing Automotive Group Co., Ltd. (BAIC), noted that German automotive companies are now deeply integrated into the development of China's automotive industry, achieving true interdependence.

This Beijing-based carmaker has established close cooperations with major German companies and has also formed supply partnerships with many small and medium-sized enterprises. "Our development is embedded in the process of Sino-German cooperation for mutual benefit," Song said.

An increasing number of global players are entering China's superlarge NEV industry, promoting the sound development of the industry, and providing consumers with better products and more choices, according to He Yi, deputy secretary-general of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

Among the trendsetters is BMW, which announced in late April an additional investment of 20 billion yuan (about 2.82 billion U.S. dollars) in its production base in Shenyang, the capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province.

"The planned upgrades and expansions will also make Shenyang ready for the production of our NEUE KLASSE, which is a completely new generation of BMW models that combine all our innovations in the areas of electrification, digitalization and circular economy," said Oliver Zipse, chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, in a speech.

Michael Braungart, Scientific CEO of EPEA, believes that the global automotive industry has yet to achieve a circular economy for vehicles. China is making efforts to strengthen the reuse of production materials, bringing greater opportunities for international cooperation.

Highlighting China's progress in the deep integration of smart and green manufacturing, Braungart noted that the country is actively promoting the green transformation and upgrading of the smart NEV industry.

The 2024 Beijing auto show, held at the Shunyi Hall of the China International Exhibition Center this month, attracted numerous global automotive manufacturers.

Many companies showcased their smart driving products and solutions during the auto expo, indicating the next phase of the automotive industry would be an era of intelligence.

"With the continuous advancement of policies, autonomous driving services have made significant progress in China," said Peng Jun, co-founder and CEO of Pony.ai, an autonomous driving service provider.

Peng said that the company has accumulated a total of 3 million kilometers in global unmanned driving testing. In terms of actual operation, unmanned taxi vehicles complete up to 25 to 26 orders per day.

According to him, there is extensive collaboration between China and Europe in the field of intelligent connected vehicles.

Zipse, meanwhile, noted that China's vigorous development of new quality productive forces is highly compatible with BMW's core strategy, providing ample space for further deepening Sino-German cooperation.

He said that sustainable development is a path best pursued together, with China and Germany sharing the belief that green development presents new opportunities for expanding cooperation. "As we know, what moves China today moves the world tomorrow."