The innovation building of Hongqi in the Changchun Automobile Economic and Technological Development Zone.  CHINA DAILY

The just-concluded ninth Germany-China Automotive Conference played a crucial role in connecting German supply chain companies with investment opportunities in China while helping Chinese businesses expand globally, organizers said.

As part of the Ministry of Commerce's "Invest in China" initiative, the event was held on Wednesday in Changchun, capital city of Northeast China's Jilin province and a key center for China's automotive industry.

The conference focused on exploring new models of Sino-German collaboration in the automotive sector, strategies for globalizing China's automotive industry chain, and building an automotive industrial ecosystem. It also featured a bilateral investment and cooperation project matchmaking session between the nations.

Leveraging the conference, the Changchun Automobile Economic and Technological Development Zone is integrating international innovation resources, promoting the implementation of a number of high-quality projects, and injecting vitality into the transformation and upgrading of the automotive industry.

In recent years, guided by a project-oriented development strategy, the zone has been dedicated to creating an enhanced international automotive city, with major projects advancing to support sustainable economic growth.

The zone is home to the headquarters of China FAW Group, as well as FAW's wholly-owned subsidiaries and other affiliates, including Hongqi, Jiefang, FAW-Volkswagen and FAW Toyota.

This cluster of vehicle manufacturers, auto parts companies, and main engine producers is injecting momentum into Changchun's economic development.

To strengthen the framework for high-quality industrial development, the zone has prioritized the rapid construction and completion of key large-scale investment projects this year. Additionally, it aims to secure agreements for new projects by the end of the year, driving industrial transformation and upgrading.

At the newly established company FAW Qixin Powertrain (Changchun) Technology, technological advancements are becoming tangible, with continuous intelligent production lines manufacturing power train products for Hongqi and Bestune vehicles.

Currently, Qixin Powertrain has mastered key technologies in high-efficiency and high-speed electric drive systems. In the future, it will gradually expand into the low-altitude economy, explore non-automotive markets such as drones and unmanned vessels, continuously expand its market share and enhance its strategic advantage.

"We will focus on high-end, intelligent and green development trends, and promote the comprehensive improvement of whole vehicles, components, and the aftermarket," said Shuai Rui, chairman of the company.

Project-driven growth

In line with the requirement of taking new energy, new equipment, new materials, and new pharmaceutical industries as technological breakthroughs to pioneer, the zone is seizing the nation's policy opportunities, such as the implementation of major strategies and large-scale equipment renewal, to actively advance major projects.

In the first half of this year, it achieved impressive results, with all major economic indicators showing positive growth, contributing to the growth in Changchun's industrial sectors above designated size.

Precise services have also been key to the zone's stable economic growth. To optimize its business environment, the zone has implemented a three-year urban enhancement plan, advancing five categories of key projects including road construction, functional supporting facilities, and social services.

This initiative has improved spatial capacity and output efficiency. Meanwhile, through on-site government cadres assigned to enterprises who respond to and address appeals promptly, support for the business environment has been enhanced.

This year marks the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) and a preparation period for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30). In response, the zone is committed to working diligently and swiftly, maintaining a focused and proactive approach to enhance the standardization, speed, quality and efficiency of all its initiatives.

Stabilized operations

The zone adheres to its mission of serving China FAW and the high-quality development of the city's automotive industry. It aligns with FAW's annual work deployment, supporting Hongqi's sales targets, helping Jiefang maintain its leading position in China's medium and heavy-duty truck market, and assisting Bestune in achieving transformation breakthroughs.

Moreover, the zone is accelerating the technical upgrades of FAW-Volkswagen fuel-powered models and FAW Toyota's new RAV4 SUV, launching new energy models from the China Scalable Platform, and increasing sales of Audi's premium platform electric models.

It is fully committed to ensuring stable and full-capacity production for key enterprises such as Qixin Powertrain, Fulscience Automotive Electronics, Linglong Tire, and FinDreams Battery. It also supports foreign trade enterprises in enhancing their strength and expanding into overseas markets.

Focusing on construction, the zone provides comprehensive support for the rapid completion of key projects in auto parts and intelligent suspension systems. It also advances a technological innovation action plan centered on smart cockpits, intelligent agricultural machinery, magnesium alloy lightweight materials, solid-state batteries, and flying cars.

In addition to consolidating its industrial foundation and advancing project development, the zone is integrating into the Changchun modern metropolitan area as part of the overall urban development strategy.

By leveraging regional industrial advantages and aligning with development realities, it is planning a number of strategic tasks, reform initiatives, and engineering projects that support long-term development.

Through deep integration of technological and industrial innovation, the zone aims to complement and coordinate with other areas in the Changchun metropolitan area, expanding opportunities for high-quality regional development and supporting the city to build a modern industrial system with local characteristics.

The ninth Germany-China Automotive Conference is held in Changchun on Wednesday. TIAN JIAXIN/FOR CHINA DAILY

Robots assemble a vehicle in the development zone. CHINA DAILY