Changan and Suzuki aiming to strengthen cooperation

Gasgoo.com (Shanghai October 2) - The distant relationship between Changan and Suzuki has been warming up again following President Osamu Suzuki's visit to the Chinese manufacturer's Chongqing headquarters, the Nanfang Daily reported earlier in the week.

Changan has been looking to expand the scale of its business, which would see it tightening its joint venture partnership with Suzuki. Meanwhile, Suzuki has been somewhat displeased at the status of its Chinese performance and is in need of a strong Chinese partner. This is the background under which Changan and Suzuki's partnership has entered a new honeymoon period.

According to an official announcement on the manufacturer's website, Changan Group Board Chairman Xu Liuping (pictured) met with Mr. Suzuki at a summit in Chongqing. Both leaders discussed long-term strategic cooperation, energy saving products, decreased costs and other issues.

Changan is looking to maximize its hold in the successful SUV market. "Changan Suzuki should remain firm [and] not shift its market to small car products," Mr. Xu said. "[The JV] should accelerate its push into the SUV market [to] gain a stable share in the segment." When asked questions regarding to energy-saving and cutting down costs, Mr. Xu affirmed Changan Suzuki's commitment to low-emission and zero-emission vehicles, as well as the JV's push to increase the pace of localized production.