Gasgoo Munich-On July 22, the 2026 China Auto Forum opened in Shanghai under the theme "New Beginning, New Opportunities, New Journey." You Zheng, vice president and Standing Committee member of the Party Committee at Dongfeng Motor Group, attended and delivered a speech, sharing insights on the historic leap of China's automotive sector and Dongfeng's own transformation.
Image source: China Auto Forum
You Zheng noted that the industry achieved a historic shift from playing catch-up to taking the lead during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period. China has secured the top spot globally in vehicle production and sales for 17 consecutive years, while leading the world in new-energy vehicle output for 11 years running. In 2025, NEV sales hit 16.49 million units, and vehicle exports reached 7.1 million. He pointed out three key advantages: autonomous control over core technologies, a complete and resilient supply chain, and the ascent of domestic brands into the premium segment.
Facing four major trends—intelligence, decarbonization, convergence, and globalization—You Zheng argued that intelligence is redefining the very nature of the car. The battleground has shifted from screen count to platform strength. Decarbonization is expanding beyond the factory floor to systemic carbon reduction across the entire supply chain. Convergence is shifting cars from simple feature stacking to the emergence of new capabilities, while globalization is evolving from merely exporting to deeply integrating into local markets.
You Zheng outlined Dongfeng's "Wind Rising 2030" plan, built around a "13343" strategic framework. The targets are ambitious: by 2030, NEVs should account for more than 70% of sales, overseas sales should strive for a 40% share, and R&D investment will remain steady at 7% of revenue.
Dongfeng will double down on its "Tianyuan Intelligence Plan," leveraging autonomous intelligent agents to drive innovation. The company is advancing the "Tianjing Zero Carbon Plan" to solidify core technologies like solid-state batteries and fuel cell stacks. It is also launching the "Tianji Sailing Plan," pledging over 100 billion yuan in resources to roll out 55 global NEV models and achieve localization rates above 50%.
You Zheng called on the industry to pool resources for innovation, collaborate overseas to reshape the image of Chinese brands, and foster cross-border integration for a win-win future. He emphasized that Dongfeng stands ready to work with industry peers to drive the high-quality development of China's automotive sector.
