The Sino-French Automotive Industry Cooperation Roundtable opens in Shanghai on April 25. [Photo by Tian Yujie]
Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone (WEDZ) hosted the Sino-French Automotive Industry Cooperation Roundtable in Shanghai on April 25, marking a significant step in its preparations for the 2025 Auto Shanghai.
This event highlighted WEDZ's commitment to enhancing the global presence of its automotive enterprises, according to a local official.
During the roundtable, Dongfeng Motor Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding with the French Prospective and Innovation Foundation (FPI) and Mobilians.
This collaboration aims to integrate resources and enhance Dongfeng's brand visibility in Europe — particularly in France — while expanding its sales channels, according to a WEDZ representative .
WEDZ's ties with France date back over 30 years to the establishment of the Dongfeng-Citro?n joint venture. The zone is currently home to more than 30 French companies, including Stellantis, Valeo, and Faurecia.
Industry leaders from China and France engaged in in-depth discussions on talent training, automotive finance, and industrial investment, seeking to strengthen the ties between the two countries' automotive sectors.
The Dongfeng Motor booth at the 2025 Auto Shanghai. [Photo/WeChat account: whkfq]
Long Yongtu, China's chief negotiator for WTO accession, attended the event, highlighting its role in fostering friendly exchanges and deep communication between Chinese and French enterprises. Francis Bartholomé, president of Mobilians, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the event's importance in building a foundation for future cooperation.
As a major automotive production hub in China, WEDZ houses Dongfeng Motor's headquarters, research and development center, and a significant passenger car production base. In recent years, Dongfeng has focused on new energy, intelligence, and internationalization strategies.
Ma Lei, general manager of Dongfeng Motor Industry Import & Export Co, emphasized the company's commitment to globalization. Dongfeng has developed multiple vehicle models for international markets, covering over 100 countries across Europe, South America, and Southeast Asia.
WEDZ is optimizing industrial chains and enhancing the business environment to support leading companies like Dongfeng Motors and Lotus in their global expansion efforts, aiming to build a "World Auto Valley".
The zone has launched several key initiatives, including the China-Europe Railway Express "Dongfeng Express", the "Chegu Express" river-sea direct roll-on/roll-off ship, and the "WEDZ Port-Taicang Port" direct container shipping route. These developments enable "WEDZ-made" vehicles to reach Europe in just 18 days, reducing the export cost per vehicle by nearly 1,000 yuan ($137).
"We aim to offer superior automotive products to the global market, create a better environment for automotive exports, and provide improved services for foreign enterprises," said a WEDZ official.
The official added that WEDZ features a 31-square-kilometer free trade area and three national first-class open waterway ports, fostering an efficient and collaborative "going global" service system for vehicles.
Leading enterprises going global will drive the collaborative development of the entire industrial chain, and the government needs to enhance services to support companies in their global expansion. Long praised WEDZ's international services, believing that the "collective going global" model will enhance the global competitiveness of China's automotive industry.
The Dongfeng Motor headquarters in WEDZ. [Photo by Li Kui]
