Following a visit by Chinese Premier Li Qiang to BMW’s headquarters in Munich, CEO Oliver Zipse expressed the mutually beneficial nature of BMW’s strong relationship with China. During the premier’s visit, which marked his first official trip abroad since assuming office, high-level discussions took place between Li, Zipse, and other BMW executives. Zipse highlighted the extensive and enduring connections between BMW and China, emphasizing shared goals in areas such as electric mobility, decarbonization, and intelligent connected vehicles.
BMW Group and China Partner on Electric Mobility, Decarbonization, and Intelligent Connected Vehicles
“The BMW Group has established deep and longstanding ties with China,” stated Zipse to Reuters. He further asserted that the ongoing collaboration between BMW Group and Chinese partners would continue to yield positive outcomes as the automotive industry undergoes transformation.
Premier Li had earlier emphasized the importance of cooperation between the two nations during his discussions with top German CEOs, including those from Mercedes-Benz. Recognizing the potential risks associated with a lack of collaboration, Li stressed the significance of fostering strong partnerships.
BMW Group Sees China as Key Market for Future Growth
China serves as BMW Group’s primary location for product development outside of Germany and remains a vital sales market for the company. In 2022 alone, over 791,000 BMW vehicles were delivered to Chinese customers. Since 1994, the BMW Group has established itself in the Chinese market and initiated the BMW Brilliance Automotive joint venture in May 2003. Throughout the past two decades, the BMW Group has consistently broadened its engagements in China, witnessing a substantial growth in production capacity at the Shenyang facility, soaring from 30,000 to an impressive 830,000 units.
In the previous year, BMW made an announcement regarding the commencement of local production of the NEUE KLASSE in China. Subsequently, starting from 2026, following its market launch in 2025, BBA (BMW Brilliance Automotive) in Shenyang will undertake the production of models from the next generation of vehicles.
[Source: Reuters]
