BAIC Group forges cultural partnership with China's National Centre for the Performing Arts

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On December 25, BAIC Group signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Beijing, marking the start of a cross-sector partnership that brings together the automotive industry and the arts. The collaboration aims to explore new forms of integration between manufacturing and culture, while contributing to the broader economic and social development of the Chinese capital.

Under the agreement, BAIC Group has been named a "strategic partner of the National Centre for the Performing Arts," while STELATO, one of BAIC's passenger vehicle brands, has been designated as the NCPA's official vehicle. The two sides will cooperate across a wide range of areas, including technology collaboration, vehicle and product showcases, joint branding initiatives, cultural and creative projects, and support for artistic performances.

Wang Ning, Party Secretary and President of the NCPA, noted that cultural development depends on broad societal participation, just as manufacturing draws long-term strength from cultural foundations. In his view, deeper integration between culture and industry is not only a response to changing times, but an inevitable direction for future development.

Photo source: BAIC Group

He added that the NCPA will work closely with BAIC to foster a spirit of mutual benefit, energize both traditional and contemporary cultural creativity, and help shape a new image of Chinese manufacturing that combines advanced technology with humanistic values—setting a benchmark for cross-industry collaboration between art and manufacturing.

Zhang Jianyong, Chairman of BAIC Group, described the partnership as a timely initiative aligned with preparations for China's upcoming "15th Five-Year Plan" period. He said the cooperation reflects Beijing's positioning as a national political, cultural, international exchange, and innovation center, and represents a practical contribution to the city's modernization drive.

According to Zhang, meeting people's aspirations for a better quality of life through products and services is a shared mission of both BAIC and the NCPA. The partnership carries three layers of significance: deepening the integration of technology and art, using cross-sector collaboration to elevate brand value, and jointly fulfilling social responsibility.

At the signing ceremony, Wang and Zhang jointly unveiled the "Hall Resonance" Audiovisual Innovation Laboratory, established by the two organizations. Going forward, the partners plan to develop dedicated audio brands and in-cabin audiovisual solutions for BAIC's self-owned vehicle brands, enhancing cabin acoustics and overall user experience through the convergence of technology and art.

At the same time, STELATO vehicles under BAIC Group have officially entered service as the NCPA's ceremonial and guest vehicles, providing transportation for visiting artists and guests from around the world and showcasing a new interpretation of "Chinese premium" in the automotive sector.

The year 2025 marks the first year of BAIC Group's "three-year leapfrog action plan." Its three self-owned passenger vehicle brands—STELATO, ARCFOX, and Beijing Off-Road—have achieved several milestone breakthroughs, with combined sales from January to November surging 70% year on year.

Most recently, ARCFOX became one of the first brands nationwide to receive official license plates for L3 autonomous driving, enabling pilot road operation in Beijing. Separately, FOTON unveiled China's first mass-produced liquid-hydrogen heavy-duty truck, extending advanced hydrogen energy technologies into the commercial vehicle sector.