The much-anticipated 2019 China Auto Forum will be held in Shanghai from April 16th to 18th, 2019. The theme of the forum is " Innovation, Openness, Green—Focusing on Automotive Industrial Change and Opportunity". The forum, a top event for the automotive industry, is co-organized by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) and CCTV-2(Finance Channel), supported by the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA) and the World Economic Forum (WEF). Since its first convention in 2011, the forum has been successfully held for 8 times, gaining an ever-increasing influence. Focusing on “high-end, pragmatic and efficiency”, the China Auto Forum has become the "Davos" of the auto industry in China; and serves as an important communication platform for world auto leaders, industry elites from home and abroad as well as government officials. The strong participation of CCTV-2 (Finance Channel) as of last year further drives China Auto Forum into a more influential event in the whole auto society.
Currently, the world economy is facing its biggest change in a century, so as the automotive industry, with dangers and opportunities coexisting. Hence, how to grasp the strategic opportunities has become common issue for global automotive industries. As of the world biggest auto market in 2009, China has occupied approximately one-third of market share in the world after a decade of rapid development, serving as the most important market position for auto companies at home and abroad and the core stage to lead the world technical trends. Proposed by Mr. Wan Gang, the Vice Chairman of CPPCC, it is planning to build the Forum as a core platform for global auto companies to discuss technical trends and release new technologies, so that to improve the development of electrification, intelligence, connectivity and sharing in China and the world. Therefore, 2019 China Auto Forum will specially highlight its global influence to invite a group of multinational experts to deliver wonderful speeches on previous basis.
With profound changes taken place in the internal and external environment of China economy, the automotive industry, as the pillar of national economy, also faces unprecedented tests. The auto sales in 2018 contracted for the first time after over 20 years of growth. Facing transformation and upgrading, innovative capacity promotion, high quality development, deepening industrial reform and opening-up, as well as accelerating green development have become the common and core subjects to deal with by the government, industry and companies, also the theme of this year’s forum. After slight decline and fierce competition last year, the auto market will be fiercer this year with the upcoming China VI regulation and real test for new energy vehicles which develop rapidly under dual-credit policy when in post-subsidy era. The year of 2019 will be a key year for the automotive industry to deepen reform and opening-up. The latest investment administrative regulation, gradually opening JV share ratio and series of “Belt & Road” policies will exert profound impacts on the automotive industry. With further fusion of internet and auto industry, the intelligent and connected vehicles will re-define the vehicles, making them become mobile terminals with wider social significance, hence dramatically changing the way of mobility. Meanwhile, the ever-progressing sharing platform is changing consuming habit. The new industrial change is leading a revolution on smart cities, intelligent transportation and energy. With the substantial increase of auto parc, many problems, such as safety, environmental protection, energy saving, traffic congestion, refueling and charging, have become more obvious. How to build a harmonious auto society is in front of the whole industry. In 2019, China automotive industry will have more changes, challenges and opportunities.
The forum has been known as a bellwether for the auto industry. As an important platform to disseminate the spirit of the two sessions and communicate between government authorities and auto enterprises, the forum will watch closely the latest policies unveiled by the related ministries and commissions of the state. As a core communication platform for the auto industries at home and abroad, the forum will play a bigger role on world latest policies and technical trends. Meanwhile, as the top communication platform for domestic and foreign auto managers, the forum will carry out deep discussion and exchanges on topics of most concern by OEMs, suppliers and relevant institutions. In three days, except for the closed-door summit and conference forum, more than 10 theme forums and other activities will be held. We expect that this top event of auto industry in China and the world will become a platform for new and old friends to catch up and have deep communication, a practical and important window for each auto company to explore the change, analyze opportunity and seek for countermeasures, and the most important platform to connect auto industry with other industries related, even the whole auto society.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, which has given special meaning to 2019 China Auto Forum to become an event that is widely expected in China and the world. As an influential event for the auto industry, this forum has gained full support both at home and abroad. We'd like to thank the MIIT, CAST and CMIF for their guidance; the OICA and WEF for their full support and participation; the Jiading District and Shanghai International Automobile City for their support; friends from home and abroad and the media for their support.
Let's wait for the successful opening of the "2019 China Auto Forum" together. Friends from the auto community at home and abroad are welcome!
Organizing Committee of China Auto Forum
January 2019
