Innovations Raise China’s Automotive Industry to New Heights

A report from chinadaily.com.cn on July. 3rd, 2025:

Riding on the waves of electrification, intelligence and sustainability, China-based car manufactures are innovating to help elevate the country’s automotive industry to new heights.

Amid the reshaping of the global automotive industry, China has achieved a rapid transformation from a technology follower to a technology innovator in just two decades, according to a renowned Chinese car expert.

The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said the country’s automobile production and sales both exceeded 31 million units in 2024, setting a new record. Among them, the export of automobiles reached 5.86 million units, a year-on-year rise of 19.3 percent, further cementing its position as the largest automobile exporting country.

Chen Ting, a leading figure in China’s automotive industry, said that due to a profound understanding of technological value and industrial patterns, China-based car manufactures are continuously innovating and developing market-driven products, lifting China’s automotive industry to new heights.

He said the rise of China’s automotive industry resulted from a combination of technological breakthroughs, supply chain collaboration and global market opportunities.

“This reflected a uniquely Chinese technological development path, transitioning from ‘technology introduction’ to ‘independent innovation’,” said Chen, who acts as the chief operating officer for China unit and executive director of supporting businesses for Asia-Pacific region of a globally renowned multinational tire company.

Joint venture automakers have consistently expanded in the Chinese market since first entering it in 1983, leading to a leap-forward development of the country’s automotive industry, said Chen, adding that by 2013, Chinese domestic brands began to emerge prominently, with local automakers’ innovation capabilities and supply chains continuously improving.

Behind this leap forward is a group of industry changemakers who have continuously driven the localization and globalization of technology through practical efforts.

In recent years, the global new energy vehicle (NEV) industry has experienced rapid growth, bringing forth entirely new demands for tire technology, Chen said.