There is a profound meaning behind reverse OEM (People's Commentary)

Not long ago, Nissan disclosed that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with a subsidiary of Chery Automobile, and planned to open a production line at its Sunderland plant in the UK to OEM right-hand drive vehicles for Chery starting in April 2027.This is the first time that a mainstream Japanese car company has OEMed cars for a Chinese independent brand in the core European market.

China's automobile products are going global with the help of production lines in developed countries, and the knocking on the door of the new industrial pattern has been clearly audible.

From following to running and leading, China's automobile industry is not following suit, but is firmly grasping the wave of electrification and intelligence industrial changes, reconstructing industrial logic and market ecology, building complete industrial advantages in aspects such as power batteries, vehicle platforms, intelligent network connection, and industrial chain integration, and achieving leapfrog development.

From the perspective of volume accumulation, my country's new energy vehicle production and sales have ranked first in the world for 11 consecutive years, with both exceeding 7.4 million units in the first half of 2026.This is an upward trend in the growth curve and a vivid footnote to the high maturity of the industrial ecology.

From the perspective of qualitative improvement, Chinese car companies have formed competitive advantages in model research and development, three-electric core technology, and intelligent systems.Not only have we caught up in technical parameters, we have also mastered the definition of the next generation of smart travel to a certain extent.

In addition to the production line at the Sunderland factory, Stellantis Group, a world-renowned automobile company, will produce Leapbo new energy vehicles at its factory in Zaragoza, Spain, and jointly develop new products based on Leapbo's electric architecture and battery technology.In the Chinese market, among the new energy models jointly developed by Volkswagen and Xpeng Motors, core technologies such as intelligent driving are provided by Xpeng Motors.

Some people call the related phenomenon reverse foundry.This is not a simple production capacity cooperation, but an integrated empowerment covering technology, standards, brands, etc.China's automobile industry not only got rid of the path of exchanging market for technology, but also began to provide Chinese products and solutions as a market pioneer and technological innovator.This role transformation is the result of China's automobile industry's long-term move towards greenness and innovation.

Using new tracks to achieve industrial upgrading and market transformation relies not only on latecomer technology dividends, but also on profound insights into industry development trends.

This is a long-termism based on active shaping.We will use policies to drive the power of the market, strengthen the construction of supporting facilities, and knit the industrial ecology step by step; prioritize the layout of some high-value small-cut scenarios and cross-regional and cross-field comprehensive scenarios, gradually improve the business model, and drive overall growth with breakthroughs in points.

From wind power and photovoltaics to 5G communications and artificial intelligence, the reason why we can catch up from behind in some key fields is that we combine strategic vision with pragmatic efforts, combine the courage to venture and try with overcoming difficulties, step by step, step by step, and ultimately create a systematic competitive advantage.

The development of new models and new business formats often has no precedents to follow, and is bound to be accompanied by various risks, challenges and uncertainties.From following to leading means that you need to explore yourself every step of the way.We must make forward-looking plans against the tide, continue to work hard in the face of wind and rain, maintain sufficient strategic focus, and work hard to open roads over mountains and build bridges when encountering rivers.Only by being good at learning and borrowing, but not copying others' wisdom, and insisting on independent innovation, but not working behind closed doors, can we have the opportunity to transcend the industrial cycle and open up new opportunities in the changing situation.

Those who observe the situation are wise, and those who control the situation win.By winning the market with technology and actively participating in reshaping the global industrial and supply chains, we have embarked on an innovation path that is based on local, independent and controllable, open and win-win.By seizing the favorable conditions and maintaining good momentum, more new fields and new tracks will surely rise amidst changes and break through in innovation just like new energy vehicles, bringing more and greater surprises to the world.

Author: Zhang Dongmei

Source: People's Daily