Batches of vehicles to undergo checks in US and Europe to support export drive
The man in charge of making Geely Auto a global exporter said the company was sending cars for tests by regulators in the US and Europe, as a step toward its target of exporting 1.3 million units by 2015.
'Japanese companies did it 30 to 40 years ago and South Korean companies did it 20 years ago,' said Zhao Jie, vice-president in charge of overseas sales. 'We can do it and repeat their success.'
Geely is one of the most ambitious of Chinese carmakers, with estimated exports this year of 8,000 vehicles out of the national total of 20,000, to countries in the Middle East, North Africa, Southeast Asia and South America.
Its 2015 output target is two million units, of which it plans to export 1.3 million and sell 700,000 in the domestic market.
While China is currently a barely-noticed player in the global car market, its success in many industrial products has convinced most people that it is simply a question of time before it becomes a major exporter of finished cars. It is already a significant exporter of car parts and components.
Geely is positioning itself as a 'nationalist' company, presenting itself as a purely Chinese firm, while most of its competitors are joint ventures with foreign firms.