CATARC's central China branch inaugurated

The inauguration ceremony for the Central China Branch of China Automotive Technology and Research Center Co (CATARC) is held on March 21. [Photo provided to en.whkfq.gov.cn]

The Central China branch of China Automotive Technology and Research Center Co (CATARC) was officially set up and ready to begin operation in the Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone (WEDZ) on March 21.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by CATARC's president, An Tiecheng; general manager, Lu Mei; leaders from the Hubei government and Dongfeng Motor Co; Liu Ziqing, secretary of the zone's working committee; and Tang Chao, director of the zone's administrative committee.

As a State-owned enterprise that is directly controlled by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, CATARC runs businesses covering automobile testing and trials, engineering technology research services, and digitalization.

Central China is one of the regions in China with the most economic vitality, and the “Wuhan-Xiangyang-Shiyan-Suizhou” national automotive industrial cluster is led by WEDZ, which has complete industrial chains relating to the R&D of cars and auto spare parts, manufacturing, logistics, and testing.

Zheng Yuejia, a second-level inspector for Hubei's Department of Economy and Information Technology, speaks at the inauguration ceremony. [Photo provided to en.whkfq.gov.cn]

Zheng Yuejia, a second-level inspector for Hubei province's Department of Economy and Information Technology, highlighted that the establishment of this new branch will promote the further integration of chains of value, service, innovation and industries.

WEDZ is one of six car manufacturing bases in China, and it currently boasts nine automakers, 13 auto-making plants, and more than 500 famous vehicle components. Its total annual industrial output exceeds 340 billion yuan ($49.37 billion), and it is also known as the Auto Valley of China.