At the New Energy Vehicle Global Cooperation and Development Forum (GNEV2026), held in Shanghai from August 19 to 21 and hosted by China EV100 International, BMW's Vice President for Greater China Government and Foreign Affairs, Wu Yanyan, took the stage to share her insights on the evolving automotive landscape.
Speaking at the event themed "New Pathways for Global Cooperation in the Automotive Industry," Wu underscored that as a multinational automaker operating in over 140 markets worldwide, Bayerische Motoren Werke AG firmly believes that isolation and fragmentation yield no winners. Instead, she argued, free trade and open collaboration form the bedrock of industrial innovation and economic prosperity.
Wu outlined three critical challenges that multinational automakers face in the Chinese market. The first involves how century-old global brands can swiftly adapt to the pace of China's electrification, digitalization, intelligent driving, and low-carbon transformation to meet local consumer preferences. The second challenge is leveraging China's innovation ecosystem to accelerate efficient integration with global technology systems, thereby feeding advancements back into worldwide markets. The third concerns how global supply chains can maintain balance amidst the current complex geopolitical landscape.
In response, Wu revealed that BMW's strategy is to firmly commit to the principle of "In China, for China, and progressing together with China." This approach harnesses Chinese speed to bolster global development, reshapes core competitiveness through deep localization, and fosters win-win outcomes for both Chinese and international industries via open, collaborative innovation.
Wu highlighted that localized R&D has become a pivotal element of BMW's market strategy in China. The company currently operates R&D centers in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenyang, and Nanjing, establishing its largest research network outside of Germany. This network spans the full spectrum of capabilities, including complete vehicle development, electric drive systems, software algorithms, and autonomous driving technologies.
She elaborated that BMW consistently applies the principle of "think globally, act locally," progressively upgrading China from a mere sales and manufacturing base into a core strategic pillar and a global innovation hub for the group. This evolution charts a development path that blends global and Chinese engineering capabilities with a symbiotic integration of local innovation ecosystems.
Concluding her address, Wu issued a call to the industry to firmly uphold safety standards. She urged all players to collectively resist the hasty practice of compressing validation cycles and cutting corners in testing, and to refrain from pushing incomplete systems or immature products to market. She stressed that quality and safety must never be compromised, adding that these remarks were transcribed from the live session and have not been reviewed by the speaker.
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