On April 25, 2024, the Beijing Auto Show officially kicked off. At the event, the joint booth of Great Wall Motors, featuring five brands, made its debut at the E3 Hall. The conference, with the theme of “Ecological Overseas Expansion Strategy,” attracted hundreds of overseas guests from various countries, including Chinese media, foreign media, and global dealer partners.
Plan to achieve annual overseas sales of over one million vehicles by 2030. As China becomes the world’s largest car market, the world looks to China for cars, which has become a consensus among global car brands. With China’s cars entering a new era of globalization, the continuous growth of Chinese domestic brands is leading Chinese cars to the world, becoming a new trend. In this new era, globalization should also have a new meaning. According to Mu Feng, the President of Great Wall Motors, the answer is to do globalization rooted in China and localization rooted overseas.
First, in the view of Mu Feng, President of Great Wall Motors, China must embrace its own globalization – not only because GWM was born in China, but also because it is looking towards the future. Only by relying on the motherland can brand globalization be achieved. Specifically, China’s intelligent culture and new productive forces will be scarce global resources for automotive companies in the future. For example, China’s complex terrain provides us with a good testing ground for development, allowing us to experience complex traffic scenarios globally. China’s philosophy of “seeking common ground while reserving differences” also guides us in understanding complex user needs. The high-tech, high-efficiency, and high-quality new productive forces in the Chinese market are driving more innovations and serving global users.
For Great Wall Motors, now is the stage of reaping the benefits of global high-quality development. All five brands have gone global, with a total of 14 million users worldwide. By 2023, it is expected to achieve annual sales of over 300,000 vehicles in overseas markets. In the first quarter of this year, Great Wall Motors sold 92,800 vehicles overseas, with 35,800 vehicles sold in March, both maintaining high growth trends.
Next, on the localization level of overseas roots, Mu Feng stated: Great Wall Motors will advance and persist in the long-term internationalization strategy of “ecological going global”, focusing on the “international new four transformations” of localized production capacity, localized operations, cross-cultural brand, and secure supply chain. For Great Wall Motors, “ecological going global” means pushing products globally while simultaneously expanding research, production, supply, sales, and service overseas. Additionally, “ecological going global” can enhance product competitiveness, allowing Chinese brands to lead in intelligence and quickly root new energy products overseas, gaining recognition for our advanced production processes and manufacturing levels abroad. By “rooting downward, growing upward, and blossoming outward”, creating a new era and a new Great Wall that belongs to China and the world. Based on this, Great Wall Motors has set a goal to achieve over one million annual sales overseas and have high-end models account for over 1/3 of sales by 2030. GWM Life will promote the million-user incentive plan/ecological transformation + cross-border ecological chain going global prospects. According to Shi Qingke, Vice President of Great Wall Motors, focusing on the essence of ecological going global with the “international new four transformations” as a global strategy will become the system advantage that sets Great Wall Motors apart from other traditional global car manufacturers in the new era. He also further elaborated on the practical progress and performance of Great Wall Motors in the “international new four transformations”.
First, capacity localization. Great Wall Motors implements domestic and overseas “dual-drive”, forming a global production layout of “10+3+N”. The Rayong plant in Thailand, as Great Wall Motors’ first overseas new energy vehicle production factory, supports the development of Great Wall Motors in Thailand and the ASEAN market. The Itaipu plant in Brazil, as Great Wall Motors’ global intelligent production base, has introduced advanced production, quality management, environmental protection, and information management concepts in accordance with Great Wall Motors’ global manufacturing standards, covering the Brazilian and other South American markets. Great Wall Motors also has multiple KD factories in Ecuador, Pakistan, and other places. Localization of capacity can not only accelerate its own international market layout, allowing products to better radiate surrounding markets, but also create more job opportunities for the local community. Second, operation localization. To take root overseas, one must deeply understand the local market and fully utilize local talents. Great Wall Motors has established local offices or wholly-owned subsidiaries in 8 major overseas regions such as the European Union, ASEAN, Latin America, Oceania, and the Middle East and North Africa, and has attracted a large number of local talents who understand the local market to form the core of its operation. This local team helps Great Wall Motors better enter the local market and conduct localized compliance operations.
Third, brand cross-cultural aspects. GWM, as a global company, not only brings localized production capacity and localized operations to the international market, but more importantly, it reconstructs culture, integrates brand cross-culture, blends the Chinese philosophy of “tolerance is great” with modern industrial civilization, coexists and develops together. For example, Great Wall Motors will collaborate with WSL World Surf League, International Badminton Federation to experience the ultimate in life; will launch education, care for women and other public welfare activities in Thailand, Pakistan and other places, and actively participate in international markets during Ramadan, Easter, Christmas and other festivals, in the name of GWM, to express blessings to partners and users. In general, what Great Wall Motors wants to do is wherever the market is, Great Wall’s factories are there, Great Wall Motors will establish professional management teams, supply chains, and other ecological services locally, relying on China’s strong research and development, production, and sales system capabilities, combined with the culture of the international market, to land and take root.
Finally, Vice President of Great Wall Motors, Shi Qingke, briefly introduced and explained the GWM Care service system, as well as the upcoming GWM Life user incentive plan, and looked ahead to the modification ecosystem going global and the cross-border ecological chain going global.
During the Beijing Auto Show, nearly a thousand overseas guests from multiple countries attended 6 brand press conferences and the Great Wall Motors 2024 Overseas Dealers Conference. They experienced the charm of Great Wall Motors’ new energy ecological strength and star vehicle products up close, supporting the company’s global development and adding an international touch to the Beijing Auto Show.