Still a “significant gap” between Chinese automakers and others, warns GWM boss

The Chinese automotive industry has become a serious player on the global stage as its vehicles have become increasingly sophisticated, but the chairman of GWM has warned the industry not to get cocky and complacent.

“In reality, there is still a significant gap between Chinese automakers, including Great Wall Motors, and those excellent companies,” Wei Jianjun said in remarks at an annual meeting of the automaker, published on Chinese news site Yiche and translated to English.

“We must remember that the gap is not small, but very large.

“The road to car manufacturing is still long, and we should learn from Europe, America, Japan, and South Korea – learn diligently, humbly, and practically.”

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More than 34.5 million vehicles were produced in China in 2025, making it the world leader in new-vehicle production.

Not only are non-Chinese auto brands feeling the squeeze in the Chinese market, but more and more Chinese automakers are expanding their global presence.

But Mr Wei reportedly warned that, although Chinese automakers’ overseas expansion is impressive, the industry is still relying predominantly on low prices to seize market share – something unsustainable when, in key markets like Europe, Chinese vehicle imports face tariffs.

That indicates profit margins for Chinese automakers are slimmer than other key global players.

There are also troubles at home. Chinese automakers’ global push is being partly driven by persistent overcapacity at home.

In 2024, according to the Gasgoo Automotive Research Institute, production capacity utilisation sat at just 49.5 per cent in an industry capable of making 55.5 million vehicles.

The Chinese market also remains cluttered with a multitude of players, many of which have several brands of their own – GWM, for example, sells vehicles under five brands in the world’s largest auto market.

In his address, Mr Wei reportedly encouraged customers to deliver feedback, and warned employees against ignoring this.

“An individual or an organisation can only make progress if they are able to criticise themselves and dare to take responsibility,” he reportedly said.

He cited Toyota as a specific example of an automaker to look up to.

“Toyota is one of the most iconic and highest-quality companies in the world. In fact, Toyota has never stopped issuing recalls, both large and small,” he reportedly said.

“However, users still give it high praise because Toyota never shirks responsibility when problems arise. It takes responsibility and proactively fixes and informs users before they even realise the problem. This is true responsibility.”

The GWM chairman also reportedly warned against Chinese automakers engaging in price wars to stimulate short-term sales, calling it a form of “slow suicide”.

As Yiche notes, China’s pivot towards ‘new-energy vehicles’ – plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs) – has allowed it to achieve independent control over motor, battery and electronic control supply, something much less common during the era of combustion-powered vehicles.

GWM sold 1,323,672 vehicles in 2025, up 7.3 per cent year-on-year. Production was up 5.7 per cent to 1,311,329 units.

New-energy vehicles accounted for 30.5 per cent of its total sales, though it only has one brand selling EVs – Ora – and it was its lowest-volume brand with 48,289 sales in 2025, less than half the tally of second-last Wey.

GWM sold 506,066 vehicles globally in 2025, up 11.7 per cent year-on-year, and it produces vehicles both at home and in Thailand and Brazil for sale in over 170 countries across Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa.

In Australia, it delivered 52,809 vehicles in 2025, up 23.4 per cent. It has become a top-10 brand in Australia, placing ninth in 2024 and then seventh in 2025.

GWM is aiming to become a “sustainable top-five” brand by 2030 here. To reach that goal, it’s not only launching new products – including more hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles – but also investing in local tuning.

But it’s not alone in being a Chinese brand that has finished in the top 10 and which is aiming for ever better results. Last year, BYD was the eighth-best selling brand and MG came in at 10th, with Chery knocking on the door of the top 10 in 13th position.

All of these brands have announced their aspirations of becoming bigger players in our market.

BYD is aiming to finish “close to the top three” in 2026, MG wants to be in the top five by 2027 and the top three by 2030, and Chery wants to be in the top five by 2027 with sister brand Omoda Jaecoo also in the top 10.

Unlike BYD and Chery, GWM has embraced a single-brand strategy in Australia, with the likes of Tank and Haval now positioned as sub-brands. This in turn allows GWM to not only offer a wide range of different vehicles in the same showroom and streamline its marketing, but also to pool the sales results of all its vehicles together.

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