China plans to become 'manufacturing superpower' by 2025

China’s automotive industry plans to transform itself into a “manufacturing superpower” by 2025 as it continues to expand in both domestic and international markets.

Speaking at the opening of the Global Automotive Forum in Chongqing, chairman of the country’s automotive committee Wang Xia said: “Globally, we are experiencing a transition within the automotive industry.

“The market is migrating from developed to developing countries. Markets like China provide new opportunites for the automotive industry.”

Noting that China’s domestic manufacturers need to “seize these opportunities to make our automotive industry stronger”, Xia said one of the challenges faced by China’s manufacturers is improving their manufacturing quality.

Quality and perceived brand quality are understood to be two of the key issues faced by Chinese brands when competing with more established Western names.

Cheng Hong, editor in chief of China Central Television, said: “2015 is an important year for the global restructuring of the automotive industry. China is faced with serious challenges. We are trying to transform ourselves, to make manufacturing in China a superpower.”

A new government initiative, dubbed ‘Made in China: 2025’ aims to comprehensively upgrade the country’s manufacturing and takes inspiration from Germany’s ‘industry 4.0’ plan, which was launched in 2011.

Among the initiative’s aims is to better connect Chinese manufacturers and automotive suppliers to the wider global market. The plan emphasises quality over quantity and aims to bring intelligent manufacturing methods to the country.

Though the plan takes in many manufacturing sectors, automotive is understood to be at the heart of the initiative. In particular, it calls for the development and production of new-energy vehicles, which includes electric cars, hybrids and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles.

More from China: 

 - China plans one million EVs by 2020

 - China automotive industry prepares for consolidation