Global Times: SAIC-GM's 20-year renewal highlights China's key role in auto innovation and global growth

BEIJING, Aug. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Chinese auto giant SAIC Motor and the US automaker General Motors (GM) have signed an agreement to extend their joint venture (JV) partnership by 20 years to 2047.

Building on nearly three decades of cooperation, the renewed agreement aims to accelerate SAIC-GM's transition toward intelligent electric vehicles (EVs) and advance its global expansion.

The extension of the JV reflects both sides' confidence in the long-term potential of China's auto market and their future cooperation, a Chinese industry expert said, noting that China has long been one of GM's most important overseas markets and a key growth engine. As the auto industry shifts toward electrification and intelligent mobility, China has become a leading hub for NEV innovation and competition.

Despite US relentless attempts to hype "China security risks" and impose restrictions, American companies are voting with their feet, showing that China remains an irreplaceable strategic market for global automakers, the expert said, noting that the two countries still have substantial potential for cooperation in advanced manufacturing, green transition and cutting-edge innovation.

Strong messages

The renewed partnership ushers in a new stage for SAIC-GM, a major player in China's auto industry since the late 1990s, with the JV set to accelerate innovation, expand growth opportunities and strengthen long-term profitability.

Speaking at the signing ceremony on Wednesday, GM Senior Vice President and President of GM China John Roth said that the agreement "reflects our shared confidence in SAIC-GM and its long-term growth potential," stressing the company's "commitment to strong performance in the China market."

"It is not only about continuing what we have built together. More importantly, it is about building a more competitive, resilient, and sustainable business for the future," he said.

On a further note, Roth said that "China's automotive market moves fast. Customer expectations are rising, technology is advancing quickly, and competition grows more intense every day. To succeed, we need to move with speed, stay focused on customers, and execute with discipline."

Having manufactured and delivered more than 20 million vehicles and established end-to-end vehicle development capabilities early on, SAIC-GM is building on its momentum with a growing portfolio of products defined and developed locally, according to the press release that the company shared with the Global Times on Thursday.

From 'China-made' to 'China-innovated'

SAIC-GM's JV, launched in 1997, is approaching 30 years. In 2025, the two sides accelerated cooperation, launching the "Xiaoyao" super integration architecture developed under the leadership of the Chinese team, as well as Buick's premium new energy sub-brand - Electra. According to the plan, the Buick Electra E7 will enter overseas markets in October this year, becoming SAIC-GM's first premium new energy vehicle (NEV) to be exported globally.

From its early manufacturing roots in Shanghai to exporting globally competitive NEVs, SAIC-GM's growth reflects both the transformation of China's auto industry and the expanding cooperation between Chinese and US companies, experts said.

"Extending SAIC-GM's JV term by 20 years, among the longest in China's auto sector, signals the US carmaker's long-term commitment to the Chinese market. It shows that for global automakers, China is not just a source of short-term profits, but a key hub for innovation, competitiveness and future growth," Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the China Passenger Car Association, told the Global Times on Thursday.

China's EV has been the leading development drive in the world. From January to June 2026, China accounted for 31 percent of global auto sales, while the country's share of the global new-energy vehicle market reached around 60 percent, highlighting the strong global competitiveness and growing popularity of Chinese NEVs.

This cooperation also mirrors the bigger trend of the great transformation of China's car industry.

Over the past three decades, China's auto JV model has focused on "introducing technology, developing the industry and expanding the market," with global automakers providing brands, technologies and management expertise, while Chinese partners contributed market access, manufacturing capabilities and supply chain strengths.

Cui said that as China's NEV and smart connectivity technologies have advanced rapidly, the model is shifting from one-way technology transfer to two-way empowerment. Backed by a world-leading EV supply chain and innovation capabilities, China has become a key force driving the transformation of the global auto industry.

As China's auto market accelerates toward electrified intelligent vehicles, SAIC-GM will launch at least 30 new-energy vehicles by 2030 and deploy more technology solutions developed in China for the Chinese market. It will further expand the EV product portfolios of Buick and Cadillac.

"To stay competitive in the evolving global auto industry, foreign auto companies including the US companies need to continue treating China as a strategic long-term market," Cui said.

The partnership extension also reflects the fact that GM places great importance on the stability of the Chinese market. For the manufacturing sector, a 20-year cooperation period is a realistic and reasonable arrangement, Zhou Mi, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Given its position in the automotive industry, GM's decision to further deepen its JV cooperation reflects its confidence in the long-term growth potential of the Chinese market, said Zhou.

From localization to globalization

While deepening their presence in China's vast market, another key purpose behind the extension goes beyond China itself.

Roth said that they see meaningful opportunities to grow beyond China. "SAIC-GM has strong local capabilities across engineering, manufacturing, and quality, and we can apply those strengths in select international markets, including the Middle East, Africa, South America, Mexico, and Asia-Pacific," he noted.

Going forward, the JV is expected to move beyond the traditional model of "foreign partners providing technology and Chinese partners handling manufacturing" toward a new stage of complementary strengths, joint innovation and shared global markets.

At the signing ceremony, SAIC Chairman Wang Xiaoqiu outlined a new direction for SAIC-GM's development: Moving from "technology introduction and local production" 30 years ago to "local innovation and global sharing" today, JV automakers are entering a new stage of globalization, with Chinese-developed technologies and products expanding into global markets.

"China is no longer just a major market for global automakers, but also an increasingly important source of automotive innovation, product development and industrial capabilities for companies eager to go global," Cui said.

The industry analyst's words did not come out of the blue. In addition to GM, other US automakers such as Ford are also strengthening cooperation with Chinese automaker Geely by producing electric SUVs at Ford's factory in Spain as part of their global expansion strategy.

Under a JV that will be 66 percent owned by Ford and 34 percent by Geely, the first Geely-brand electric SUVs will roll off the production line at the Valencia plant in 2028.

In the past, foreign automakers such as GM and Ford mainly brought their technological advantages to China and leveraged the country's manufacturing workforce to expand their operations. Today, they are increasingly tapping into China's innovation ecosystem and comprehensive industrial supply chains to support their global strategies, Zhou said, noting that GM's latest cooperation agreement also reflects a broader market demand - the need to establish long-term and stable industrial partnerships.

For multinational automakers, increasing investment in China and deepening local partnerships not only serves the interests of the Chinese market, but is also crucial to strengthening their own global competitiveness, the expert said.

"As the auto industry evolves beyond the energy transition toward intelligent vehicles, China's vast user base, data resources and application scenarios provide unique advantages. Deepening cooperation in China can create greater industrial value and deliver win-win outcomes for all stakeholders," said Zhou.

SOURCE Global Times