Auto forum explores industry change in WHDZ

Some 30 overseas returnees attended the 2019 China Auto Industry Overseas Returnees Forum which opened in Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone on Nov 16, according to a WHDZ statement.

Participants in the forum said the auto industry’s chain technology, supply chain and value chain have all been reshaped -- and the entire business model for the automobile sector is also in the process of being reshaped.

They added that in a critical period when these fundamental changes were overlapping with downward pressures on the auto market, the challenge was for the auto sector to spur industry experts and employees to think deeply, fully discuss issues and respond positively.

Participants said that with the deepening of China’s opening-up to the outside world, overseas returnees would play a more important role in the development of auto industry.

Wuhan, capital city of Central China’s Hubei province, is known as China’s Motor City.

In 2016, Wuhan was officially selected as one of the first batch of six smart car and smart transportation application demonstration cities in China.

Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone -- also known as WHDZ -- became one of the core zones for the construction of smart cars and smart transportation applications.

WHDZ boasts the National Intelligent Connected Vehicle (Wuhan) Test and Demonstration Zone, which is the only demonstration zone for multi-scenario smart car applications in China.

In September 2019, the world's first commercial license for self-driving vehicles was issued in Wuhan.