Recently, Oliver Zipse, chairman of the BMW Group, has attended and addressed the China Development Forum in Beijing. He reiterated his long-term commitment to China, emphasized that Chinese modernization is an opportunity for the world and called for greater international multilateral cooperation to promote development through cooperation and prosperity through growth. In his speech, Zipse also took the successful experience of BMW Brilliance as an example to propose the point that “cooperation brings prosperity, and decoupling leads to a lose-lose situation”.
Zipse denoted that China is the largest single market and one of the most strategic markets of the BMW Group. Deeply rooted in the Chinese market for nearly 30 years, the BMW Group is not only a contributor to economic growth, but also a participant in technological innovation, social development and cultural progress. At present, the BMW Group has established the largest production network within the Group and the largest Research & Development network outside Germany in China, and will continue to expand its investment in China. Since 2010, the BMW production base in Shenyang has received an investment of more than 83 billion yuan, becoming a cornerstone of BMW’s development in China and a paradigm of trade cooperation between China and Germany.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Chinese automobile industry and the 20th anniversary of the founding of BMW Brilliance. Taking the successful experience of BMW Brilliance as an example, Zipse clearly proposed that “cooperation brings prosperity, and decoupling leads to a lose-lose situation”. “We firmly believe that cooperation is the essential element for economic development and growth is the common driving force of prosperity. Chinese modernization of a huge population will unleash demand for innovative goods and services. And the foreign direct investment in China and Europe that binds our economies together, which is a powerful rebuttal to the notion of decoupling. I am convinced that a true modernization should be: inclusive, not exclusive; be based on cooperation and not decoupling; be driven by what connects, and not what sets us apart; innovation, sustainability and prosperity motivate us all.” Zipse said.
At present, China’s EV industry is developing rapidly, and the BMW Group is also accelerating the electrification of its products. Within this year, BMW will offer 11 pure electric products in the Chinese market, covering almost all core market segments. In the second half of 2025, the BMW Group will put into production a new generation of models and intensively launch six new generation models within the following 24 months. With the proliferation of electric products, BMW is on track to achieve cumulative deliveries of more than 10 million purely electric vehicles in the global market by 2030.
“Sustainable development is our common belief and creates new space for deeper economic cooperation. We are working together with our Chinese partners with a view to advance a circular economy while reducing carbon throughout the life cycle of our products. Sustainable development unites us and offers enormous opportunities for sound long-term economic growth.” Zipse emphasized.
“Chinese modernization not only opens up new growth opportunities for the world, but also offers opportunities for innovation and sustainable technological development on a global scale. Meanwhile, it also builds bridges of friendship between countries and releases a strong signal for multilateral cooperation. BMW’s development and success in China have created prosperity for both China and Germany. And China’s Path to Modernization is a journey that the BMW Group is also embarking on.” Zipse said.