Bus maker riding boom in top gear

Two workers add components to a bus chassis at a plant of Chery & Wanda Guizhou Bus. [Photo/CHINA DAILY]

As a leading passenger car manufacturer in China, Chery & Wanda Guizhou Bus is poised to fulfill its potential in overseas markets. It is "getting a free ride" with Guiyang's development of an open economy, executives with the bus maker said.

Located in Guiyang Economic and Technological Development Zone, Chery& Wanda's market covers the provinces of Guangdong, Anhui, Sichuan and Yunnan as well as the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. Some of its products have been exported to Southeast Asian countries, according to the bus manufacturer.

"The main reason why Chery & Wanda can quickly let its products go abroad is that Guiyang is accelerating its high-level opening-up," said Li Hongda, director of operations at the bus manufacturer.

"In terms of open development, the government's plans and decisions coincide with our own strategic developments."

According to Zhao Deming, Party secretary of Guiyang, the city should seize opportunities brought by the new round of high-level opening-up and the continuous improvement of transport infrastructure, make every effort to build a modern and open industrial system and speed up the construction of an inland open economic pilot zone.

"This is going to be another big opportunity for us," Li said.

Guiyang's construction of an inland open economic pilot zone will not only be convenient for Chery & Wanda to integrate itself into the industrial chain at home and abroad, but also help promote the modernization and intelligence of the company's production, Li added.

It will also help the city attract investment, introduce advanced technologies, and develop the whole automobile industry.

Based on its achievements made in technological research and development and with the policy guidance of the local government, Chery & Wanda made a breakthrough in exports last year.

In 2019, the company first exported 20 commercial vehicles to the Philippines. This year, their partner in the Philippines made an order of hundreds of vehicles.

Thanks to coordinated efforts by the local government in preventing and controlling the novel coronavirus epidemic, the production of Chery & Wanda is back at full capacity.

From this second quarter, the products of Chery & Wanda are being exported in bulk. As a result, 2020 will mark the bus maker's great strides in exports, according to Li.

Riding on the "tailwind" of Guiyang's opening-up, the speed and quantity of the company's exports will be further improved, Li noted.

According to its 2020 development plan, Chery & Wanda aims to achieve annual sales of more than 2,000 vehicles, with an output value exceeding 2 billion yuan ($281.35 million).

The intended orders for commercial vehicles to be exported to the Philippines, Malaysia, Nepal and Chile have been completed.

Looking ahead, to enhance its strength and confidence in going global, Chery & Wanda is scheduled to make more efforts in innovation and R&D, and produce vehicles with smaller dimensions, more interior space, better fuel efficiency and improved safety, Li said.

This year, a hydrogen bus developed by Chery & Wanda will be tested and launched.