Great Wall Motors Wei Jianjun Decodes the "Value Return" of Chinese Automobiles

China Youth Daily Client News (Zhongqingbao·Zhongqingwang Reporter Zhang Zhenqi): The fundamental path for Chinese automobiles to become strong does not lie in temporary technological leadership or in numerical sales competitions, but in whether they can establish “trust.” Recently, Wei Jianjun, Chairman of Great Wall Motors, shared his observations and thoughts on the current industry situation in an exclusive interview with a reputable media outlet, attracting attention and discussion both inside and outside the industry.

In Wei Jianjun’s view, the industry currently faces four core issues: returning automakers to the essence of value creation; restoring consumer confidence in products and returning from chaotic competition to respecting rules; competing based on true strength and shifting from zero-sum games to symbiotic and win-win cooperation; and expanding internationally by building credit, moving from product exports to rooted trust. The essence of these issues is trust.

Great Wall Motors’ practices provide vivid examples of this. To establish credibility in the global market, Great Wall Motors has chosen a different path from simply exporting products. They have established full-process manufacturing bases in Thailand, Brazil, and other locations, promoting an “ecological export” of research, production, supply, sales, and service along the entire industry chain, integrating industry and culture into local communities. This long-term approach has made Chinese brands trusted partners locally, rather than replaceable commodities.

Technologically, Great Wall Motors has a team of 23,000 engineers, with one engineer for every four employees on average; they lead in patent licensing and new energy vehicle patents among independent vehicle groups; and they have developed core technologies such as the 4.0T V8 engine, 3.0T V6 engine, and 9AT/9HAT transmissions.

Wei Jianjun believes that, standing at the historical crossroads of transitioning from a “big automotive country” to a “strong automotive nation,” Great Wall Motors responds to the era’s challenge with “establishing trust.” This is not only the survival strategy for the company itself but also the fundamental path for China’s automotive industry to shift from price competition to trust-based competition and from scale expansion to value creation.

Source: China Youth Daily Client