Original title: The only way to become a powerful automobile country

On May 24, 2014, General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed during the inspection of SAIC Motor Corporation that "developing new energy vehicles is the only way for China to move from a big automobile country to a powerful automobile country". This important instruction has pointed out the direction, planned the path and strengthened confidence for China's automobile industry to "overtake by changing lanes". In the past 10 years, under the guidance of this important instruction, China's automobile industry has overcome difficulties, made great efforts to innovate, and "developed real skills in open competition". It has become an important force to reshape the competitive pattern and technological advantages of the global automobile industry, and promote the transformation, upgrading and green development of the global automobile industry.

Although the exploration of new energy vehicles in China started early, there were still many difficulties in the initial stage of industrialization. The industry has always had different ideas, different opinions, and some views, even tit for tat, around the two major issues of "whether to develop and how to develop". If we allow various opinions and viewpoints to argue, the development of this emerging industry will be delayed. In the face of global warming, the acceleration of a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial reform, General Secretary Xi Jinping reviewed the situation and made important instructions, which made all kinds of disputes reach consensus quickly and pushed China's new energy vehicle industry onto the fast lane.

A group of data from the China Automobile Association not only recorded the changes in China's automobile production and sales, but also witnessed the adjustment of China's automobile industry structure and the leap in development quality. In 2013, the production and sales of new energy vehicles in China were less than 18000, while in 2023, the production and sales of new energy vehicles in China will reach 9.587 million and 9.495 million respectively, accounting for more than 60% of the global production and sales, ranking first in the world for nine consecutive years; In 2013, the penetration rate of new energy vehicles in China was less than 1%, while in 2023, the penetration rate of new energy vehicles in China has reached 31.6%; In 2013, the market share of China's self owned brand passenger vehicles was about 40%, while in 2023, this figure has reached 56%, surpassing foreign brands for the first time. It is also driven by the acceleration of new energy vehicles that China's automobile production and sales will reach a new level of 30 million in 2023, and its export will rank first in the world.

In 2009, China's automobile production and sales surpassed that of the United States and became the world's largest automobile production and sales country. However, "large but not strong" has always been the inherent impression and cognition of many people on China's automobile industry. Of course, there are historical reasons. After all, for a long time, Chinese automobile enterprises mainly rely on the introduction of foreign joint venture partner technology and products to seize the market and achieve development. Although the equity ratio of each other in joint ventures is equal, China does not have much say. Due to the lack of technical R&D capability, the foreign party is the leading party in product development and improvement.

However, this situation has become a thing of the past with the vigorous development of new energy vehicles in China. Last year, Volkswagen joined hands with Xiaopeng and Stelantis to buy shares in Zero Run, and Chinese auto companies began to export technology, products and brands to multinational auto companies. The role reversal of "technology for market" is exciting. Not long ago, Tang Weishi, global CEO of Stelantis, praised "China's advanced pure electric vehicles of Zero Run" at the launch conference of Zero Run International. This statement reflects the strong rise of new energy vehicles in China.

Ironically, recently, American politicians and many media have repeatedly played the old tune of "overcapacity" in China, and accused China of relying on domestic subsidies to sell new energy products. Obviously, this is not in line with the facts and common sense. Advanced industrial layout, full market competition, continuous product technology iteration, and complete industrial system are the fundamental reasons for the rapid rise of China's new energy industry. Today, the reason why electric vehicles, lithium batteries and photovoltaic products can become the "new three types" and add new brightness to Chinese manufacturing is that they represent new quality productivity and advanced productivity. These high-quality and affordable products not only enrich the global supply and ease the pressure of global inflation, but also make great contributions to the global response to climate change and green transformation. The new narrative trap of the United States against China's new energy vehicles is a typical double standard behavior. On the one hand, it is intended to lock China at the low end of the industrial chain, and on the other hand, it is an excuse to implement trade protectionism. In this regard, we must remain fully awake and highly vigilant.

It is generally recognized in the industry that there are three landmark indicators to measure whether it is a powerful automobile country: first, enterprises and well-known brands with international competitiveness, second, mastering the key core technologies that are leading in the world, and third, fully exploring both domestic and foreign markets. This requires us to deeply understand the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, maintain strategic concentration, accelerate the pace of innovation, and constantly consolidate and expand the advantages of intelligent connected new energy vehicles. At the same time, in the high level of opening up, we should make full use of global resources to optimize the layout of domestic and overseas supply chains. According to the current development trend, we are fully confident that we will achieve the goal of becoming a powerful automobile country by 2035. (Yang Zhongyang)