China and APEC to deepen auto cooperation

China will step up international cooperation with other APEC economies, so as to promote the electrification and intelligent transformation of the global automotive industry, officials and experts said.

Wang Weiming, director-general of the first department of equipment manufacturing industry at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and co-chair of the 43rd APEC Automotive Dialogue which concluded in Shanghai this week, outlined China's commitment to fostering an open and collaborative automotive ecosystem.

"The new wave of technological revolution and industrial transformation, particularly the rapid breakthroughs in frontier technologies like artificial intelligence, has opened new space for the global automotive industry's transformation and upgrading," Wang said.

He extended a warm welcome to global automotive companies to develop their businesses in China and share in the country's market opportunities. "We are willing to deepen cooperation with all parties to jointly build a stable, unimpeded and efficient industrial and supply chain," he added.

Wang detailed three key areas of focus: deepening international cooperation, optimizing the development environment, and supporting technological innovation. He emphasized China's commitment to a market-oriented, law-based and internationalized business climate, supporting collaboration between Chinese and foreign enterprises in technology, standards, investment and trade.

On the technology front, Wang highlighted significant breakthroughs, including the commercial application of semi-solid-state batteries and fast-charging technology that can recharge 80 percent of battery capacity in just 15 minutes. China has opened over 57,000 kilometers of roads for intelligent connected vehicle testing, deployed more than 11,000 roadside intelligent units, and built over 20.09 million charging piles and more than 5,155 battery swap stations.

The country has also released 237 national industrial standards for intelligent connected new energy vehicles, with 103 more in the pipeline, and has taken the lead in formulating over 60 international standards and regulations for electric vehicle safety and autonomous driving systems.

Fu Bingfeng, secretary-general of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers and co-chair of the dialogue, highlighted the replicable solutions China's new energy vehicle sector offers for green and low-carbon development across the Asia-Pacific region.

"From design and production to usage and recycling, China's NEVs are practicing low-carbon concepts throughout their entire lifecycle," Fu said, adding that China is ready to share its technical expertise and support Asia-Pacific partners in building localized production and maintenance systems.

The comments came as Chinese auto, electric battery and other industrial chain companies step up investment across the Asia-Pacific region, expanding their global presence.

Data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers show that in April, China exported 430,000 new energy vehicles, a sharp year-on-year increase of 110 percent.

Gabriel Padilla, managing director of Mexico's National Autoparts Industry Association, noted that Chinese brands have driven over 20 percent growth in Mexico's electric vehicle market while bringing innovative technologies to the country.

"We are formulating new investment attraction plans, particularly to draw investment from China, to help our supply chain complete technological upgrades faster," Padilla said.

masi@chinadaily.com.cn