The High-Level Forum on Intelligent Electric Vehicle Development (2026) was held at the China National Convention Center Phase II in Beijing on April 11-12. The forum's theme focused on promoting the intelligent, green, integrated, and international development of new energy vehicles. Wang Lang, Vice President of CHERY AUTO, attended the event and delivered a speech.
Wang Lang pointed out that Chinese automobiles, particularly new energy and intelligent vehicles, are becoming the most prominent symbols on the country's national identity card. This reflects a systematic enhancement of China's overall national influence, with the automotive industry being one of the most direct beneficiaries of this wave of dividends. He believes that the global expansion of Chinese automobiles is at a historic inflection point. This is not merely a linear growth in export numbers but represents a deeper structural transformation. The industry is undergoing a paradigm shift from trade expansion to a structural rise. The fundamental driver of this shift is a comprehensive transformation from a cost leadership advantage driven by vertical integration to system-level global competitiveness. Simultaneously, Wang Lang also addressed the current harsh reality: relying solely on complete vehicle trade exports has hit a ceiling in the face of an increasingly complex geopolitical environment and trade barriers. Therefore, he argues that a model restructuring is essential. Chinese automakers must undergo a profound and challenging identity重塑, transitioning from being Chinese companies operating overseas to becoming local companies with Chinese DNA. This is not just a strategic choice to counter trade barriers but an inevitable destination for globalized operations. Wang Lang presented five predictions for the future development trends of Chinese automobile exports: The first is global manufacturing layout. He believes more Chinese automakers will accelerate the establishment of full-process factories overseas, achieving genuine regional manufacturing and localized delivery. The second is the export of the entire industrial chain ecosystem. Going global will no longer be just about exporting complete vehicles but will involve the coordinated, fleet-like export of the entire ecosystem chain, including battery cells, chips, intelligent connectivity solutions, user operations, charging networks, and financial services. The third is technology leadership replacing price advantage. The industry must move away from competing primarily on cost-effectiveness and instead rely on core technologies such as autonomous driving, intelligent cockpits, and software-defined vehicles to pursue genuine brand premiums in the global market. The fourth is compliance governance in an era of normalized trade friction. Chinese automakers will face increasingly stringent compliance challenges and policy barriers in the long term. Compliance capability has become the fundamental logic determining whether an automaker can survive in the global market. The fifth is national-level escort in a high-risk era. In the face of macro risks such as exchange rate fluctuations and geopolitical conflicts, the strength of a single enterprise is negligible. Chinese automobiles need to rely on national-level risk early warning platforms, export credit insurance systems, and other measures for strategic hedging, achieving collective warmth and protection from a 'national team'.
Comments