Wei Jianjun Warns: China’s Auto Industry Isn’t Truly Strong Yet—Trust Is Key to Sustainable Success

In a recent episode of the talk show "Wen Dao," Wei Jianjun, Chairman of Great Wall Motor, stated bluntly that although China has ranked first globally in automobile production and sales for 17 consecutive years and topped global automaker sales last year, it still falls short of being a true "automotive powerhouse." He identified four major challenges facing the industry: some companies deviating from the fundamentals of vehicle manufacturing, cutthroat competition undermining product quality and consumer trust, insufficient localization efforts in overseas markets, and inadequate profitability and brand value. To address these issues, Wei proposed a path centered on "building trust"—upholding responsibility toward customers, co-creating a credit-based ecosystem with the entire industrial chain, and advancing deep localization globally. He emphasized that only by achieving comprehensive breakthroughs in sales volume, profitability, brand strength, and globalization can China’s automotive industry truly earn the title of "strong."