Emir Bardakçı
In a newly released video teaser to the second season of a dialogue series with Sina Finance CEO Deng Qingxu, Wei Jianjun, Chairman of Great Wall Motor, voiced candid thoughts on the challenges that need to be overcome from the automotive industry and gave his take on the SUV to be launched by Xiaomi.
Malicious Competition and Industrial Collapse
Wei Jianjun didn’t mince his words in talking about the destructive influence of malicious competition in the car market. ” 24 domestic auto brands went bankrupt, and that would be beneficial for whom? For instance, if the company is gone, can you imagine how much damage it will cause to consumers?” Wei asks insistently in his opinion that such brand collapses have caused long-term harm.
Xiaomi’s SUV Could Outperform Sedans
Commenting on Xiaomi’s ambitions in the automobile market, Wei further predicted that Xiaomi’s new SUV is bound to surpass its sedan model in the market and set the standard high for this tech giant’s first foray into SUVs. He oozes confidence in Xiaomi’s approach, believing that the future of the SUV segment looks bright.
Challenges for Domestic Automakers
In the context of the whole industry, Wei Jianjun felt that for Chinese manufacturers, global complementarity of resources was required. He cited the example of the collaboration of Great Wall with BMW as an illustration of how Chinese manufacturers learn from established global brands. “We are a little bit arrogant now, thinking that everything is good, but actually the gap is very large. We still need to learn from the old car manufacturers today,”
Wei added as he called on domestic carmakers to be humble and collaborative. Frank opinions from Wei Jianjun on the industry’s challenges and opportunities reflect deep concern for the future of Chinese automotive brands. His endorsement by the potential from Xiaomi’s SUVs and respect for Chery’s financial stability indicate the most closely watched trends in the competitive landscape of automotive.
