Wang Zhonglin visits Valeo Lighting Systems (China) Co in WEDZ on March 19.
On March 19, Wang Zhonglin, Party secretary of Hubei province, conducted an in-depth field study on automotive industry development in Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone (WEDZ).
Wang emphasized the opportunity to transform the automotive industry by focusing on breakthroughs in new energy and intelligent connected vehicles. The aim is to support WEDZ's evolution into a "World Auto Valley" and to accelerate the development of a 1 trillion yuan ($137.81 billion) automotive industrial cluster.
Valeo Lighting Systems (China) Co, a major supplier to several globally renowned car manufacturers, has established its largest global car lighting R&D center within WEDZ. Last year, it produced over 4 million lighting units.
Wang visited the company's exhibition hall to explore the latest lighting products and learn about its technological innovations and industrial upgrades. He also toured the smart manufacturing workshop to inspect core product assembly lines and discussed production and market expansion with company representatives.
At Xpeng Motors' Wuhan base, Wang listened attentively to updates on production and operations. The base is the first full-vehicle parts manufacturing facility in Central China and achieved a production value of 19 billion yuan in 2024. Wang also examined classic models and production lines and sought feedback on optimizing government services.
Wang highlighted the importance of leading enterprises in attracting more upstream and downstream companies, thereby strengthening and extending Hubei's automotive industry chain.
During his visit, Wang reiterated that the automotive industry is a cornerstone of Hubei's economy. He called for ambitious and diligent efforts to expand and strengthen the province's automotive industry by implementing initiatives, including supporting leading enterprises, enhancing industrial collaboration, lowering logistics and transaction costs, and expanding international market presence.
