Gasgoo Munich- At a Beijing press conference for the 2026 World Intelligent Connected Vehicle Conference, Hao Lishun, deputy director of the equipment industry division at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), outlined a three-pronged strategy. Anchored in the 15th Five-Year Plan for the intelligent connected new-energy vehicle sector, the ministry will push for deeper international cooperation across supply chains, standards and regulations, and corporate expansion overseas.
Hao Lishun. Image credit: 2026 World Intelligent Connected Vehicle Conference
Hao noted that the global auto industry is undergoing a profound shift. Vehicles are evolving from mere transport tools into smart mobile terminals, green storage units, and digital living spaces. International cooperation, accordingly, is reaching beyond traditional product trade to encompass joint R&D, collaborative manufacturing, shared supply chains, and regulatory synergy.
On supply chains, MIIT will champion global collaboration and cross-sector integration. The ministry will back foreign firms deepening their foothold in China — tapping its complete industrial base and mega-market to share in the growth. At the same time, it will steer domestic companies to absorb international best practices, sharpen their own innovation, and take Chinese technology and brands global.
On standards and regulations, China is already active in global rule-making through the UN World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29), the ISO, and the IEC. Going forward, the country will lean on multilateral and bilateral mechanisms to hardwire more of its technological breakthroughs into international standards and rules.
On corporate internationalization, Chinese vehicles now reach over 200 countries and regions, with domestic firms investing in vehicle and parts manufacturing across more than 80 overseas markets. Under the 15th Five-Year Plan, Beijing will shore up cross-border logistics, investment, and financing support. It will also tighten overseas risk controls and compliance frameworks, guiding companies to expand abroad steadily and methodically.
As for the conference itself, Hao said the 2026 edition will keep fostering dialogue, matching industry players, and deepening global coordination. It will set up standing exchange mechanisms in key areas — regulatory synergy, road-testing demonstrations, automotive data management, and V2X technology — to help build an open, collaborative global industry ecosystem.
The 2026 World Intelligent Connected Vehicle Conference is scheduled for Oct. 21–23 in Beijing’s Yizhuang district, under the theme “Gathering Intelligence, Unlimited Connectivity — Stepping Steadily Into the Era of Autonomous Driving.”
