In this field, China has officially surpassed Japan!

Text/Li Xiaoyu

　　The global automobile export champion was officially announced.

　　The latest data released by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association shows that Japan’s automobile export volume in 2023 will be 4.42 million vehicles. According to data previously released by Chinese officials, China's total vehicle export volume in 2023 will reach 4.91 million units. This means that China has surpassed Japan for the first time and has become the world's largest automobile exporter.

The car exits with "acceleration"

　　In recent years, China's automobile export performance has been quite outstanding. In 2021 and 2022, China's automobile export volume will reach 2 million and 3 million units successively.

　　From a regional perspective, Europe has become a new hot market for China's automobile exports. Data recently released by the French Inoviv Consulting Company shows that from 2021 to 2022, the number of cars imported by Europe from China will surge, and the share of cars produced in China in Europe's complete vehicle imports will jump from tenth to second.

　　Looking at different products, the sudden rise of new energy vehicle exports has become a highlight. According to official statistics, China's new energy vehicle exports in 2023 will be 1.773 million units, a year-on-year increase of 67.1%, which is equivalent to one out of every three cars currently exported by China being an electric passenger vehicle. Thanks to the surge in new energy vehicle exports, China's "three new items" exports exceeded the trillion yuan mark for the first time in 2023.

　　As the export of complete vehicles accelerates, China's automobile industry chain is also accelerating its "going global". In recent years, China's export share of core automotive parts such as power batteries and motors has grown rapidly.

　　The surge in exports reflects the continued development and growth of China's automobile industry. According to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, China's automobile production and sales in 2023 will total 30.161 million and 30.094 million vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 11.6% and 12% respectively. Production and sales have reached a new high, achieving double-digit rapid growth. Up to now, China has been the world's largest automobile producer and seller for 15 consecutive years.

　　Fu Bingfeng, executive vice president and secretary-general of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, believes that the rapid growth of China's automobile exports, especially new energy vehicles, in recent years marks that China's automobile industry has made significant achievements in transforming to electrification and intelligence, and has also received The recognition of global consumers has accelerated the transformation process of the global automobile industry.

　　Lu Daliang, spokesperson of the General Administration of Customs of China, said that China's automobile industry has continued to carry out scientific and technological innovation and built a complete industrial chain and supply chain. Automobile production and sales have repeatedly reached new highs, and the corresponding export scale has gradually expanded. Looking to the future, China's automobile industry still has a strong comprehensive competitive advantage and can continue to provide more and better innovative products to meet the needs of global consumers.

How can automobile exports change from big to strong?

　　Currently, China's automobile industry is facing important development opportunities. On the one hand, the green and low-carbon transformation of the world economy will promote the sustained and rapid development of the global new energy vehicle market; on the other hand, China's complete supply chain system also provides a solid foundation and support for the automobile industry to improve its international competitiveness.

　　After surpassing Japan in export volume for the first time and ranking first in the world, China's automobile export value is also expected to jump to a new level.

　　Sun Xiaohong, secretary-general of the Automobile Branch of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products, analyzed that this year and next, China’s automobile export value is expected to surpass Japan’s and reach 10% of the global share. my country's car manufacturing capabilities have improved, and electrification and intelligence are leading overseas brands. The recognition of independent brands in overseas markets has generally increased, accelerating the process of going overseas.

　　However, while making rapid progress, China's automobile exports also have difficulties to overcome.

　　Japanese media reported that unlike Japan, China’s automobile exports still need to overcome “political friction” with the United States and Western countries.

　　Xin Guobin, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, also said frankly that while fully affirming the development achievements, we must also clearly see that in the external situation, we are still facing unfavorable factors such as insufficient consumer demand and the abuse of trade remedy measures and protectionist behavior in some countries and regions.

　　Previously, the EU had launched a countervailing investigation into China's new energy vehicles. The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act prohibits tax incentives for electric vehicles produced outside North America, which actually reduces the ability of Chinese companies to sell electric vehicles to the United States. These protectionist policies and trade barriers will bring uncertainty to the prospects of China's automobile exports.

　　Zhao Fujun, director of the Comprehensive Research Office of the Foreign Economic Research Department of the Development Research Center of the State Council, said that in order to move from a major automobile exporting country to an exporting power, China should continue to improve the systemic competitiveness of the automobile industry and accelerate the layout of the automobile industry in globalization. Automobile companies can set up R&D centers in developed countries, or they can set up production and manufacturing bases in some emerging market economy countries to take advantage of lower local costs and better market growth prospects to carry out international operations.