At the 2026 China Auto Forum opening on July 22 in Shanghai, Dongfeng Motor Group VP You Zheng delivered a keynote speech systematically outlining China's historic leap from follower to leader in the automotive sector.
China's "Overtaking" Report Card
You Zheng noted that during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China's auto industry achieved a historic shift from playing catch-up to taking the lead:
- China has held the global top spot in vehicle production and sales for 17 consecutive years
- NEV output has led the world for 11 consecutive years
- 2025 NEV sales: 16.49 million units
- 2025 vehicle exports: 7.1 million units
Three core advantages underpin this leap:
- Autonomous Control of Core Technologies: Independent mastery of electrification and intelligent driving tech
- Complete and Resilient Supply Chain: Full-industry coverage from raw materials to complete vehicles
- Domestic Brands Moving Upmarket: Local brands accelerating into the premium segment
Four Mega-Trends Reshaping the Auto Industry
Facing intelligence, decarbonization, convergence, and globalization, You Zheng offered deep insights:
| Trend | Core Meaning | Industry Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligence | Competition shifting from screen count to platform strength | Redefining the nature of cars |
| Decarbonization | Expanding from factory-floor cuts to systemic supply-chain carbon reduction | Carbon footprint as new barrier |
| Convergence | Moving from feature stacking to emergence of new capabilities | Cars becoming "third living space" |
| Globalization | Evolving from product exports to deep localization | Overseas expansion entering 2.0 phase |
You Zheng emphasized that intelligence is redefining the very nature of the car. Deep integration of cockpits with AI is evolving vehicles from pure transportation to "third living space." 40% of users now view multimodal interaction as a core smart cockpit indicator.
Decoding Dongfeng's "Wind Rising 2030" Strategy
Dongfeng unveiled its "Wind Rising 2030" plan, built around the "13343" strategic framework:
Core Targets:
- NEV sales share exceeding 70% by 2030
- Overseas sales share striving for 40%
- R&D investment steady at 7% of revenue
Three Action Plans:
- Tianyuan Intelligence Plan: Leveraging autonomous intelligent agents to drive innovation
- Tianjing Zero Carbon Plan: Solidifying core tech like solid-state batteries and fuel cells
- Tianji Sailing Plan: Pledging over 100 billion yuan in resources, rolling out 55 global NEV models, achieving localization rates above 50%
Dongfeng's strategic layout sends a clear signal: Chinese automakers' globalization is no longer simple product export, but systematic overseas expansion of technology, brand, and supply chain. For Central Asia and Russia, this means higher-quality, more deeply localized Chinese vehicles are coming. EX1000.COM will continue tracking Dongfeng and Chinese automakers' overseas expansion.
