{"id":116185,"date":"2024-04-22T08:28:54","date_gmt":"2024-04-22T08:28:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alj.com\/?post_type=perspective&p=116185"},"modified":"2024-07-08T11:18:04","modified_gmt":"2024-07-08T11:18:04","slug":"charging-ahead-in-china","status":"publish","type":"perspective","link":"https:\/\/alj.com\/en\/perspective\/charging-ahead-in-china\/","title":{"rendered":"Charging ahead in China"},"content":{"rendered":"

Recently, we marked the 25th<\/sup> anniversary of Abdul Latif Jameel\u2019s entry into the Chinese automotive market. \u00a0During that time, Abdul Latif Jameel Motors China has established an exceptional reputation for quality, reliability and customer service.<\/h4>\n

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We caught up with George (\u738b\u6052) Wang<\/a>, Country General Manager, Abdul Latif Jameel China, to discuss the business\u2019s growth, the state of the China\u2019s automotive market and his ambitions for the future.<\/p>\n

Can you provide a brief background of Abdul Latif Jameel Motors in China?<\/h2>\n

\"\"It is common to see foreign automotive businesses in China these days, but it did not used to be the case. \u00a0Abdul Latif Jameel was a pioneer when it first launched in China 25 years ago.<\/p>\n

The original plan was to setup a Toyota Authorized Service Station (TASS) to provide aftersales service for Chinese Toyota customers, as we had already been doing for many years in markets like Saudi Arabia.\u00a0 The first Abdul Latif Jameel TASS in China officially opened in Chengdu on November 11, 1998, the second in Qingdao in 2000, and the third in Wuhan in 2002.<\/p>\n

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In 2002, Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) and First Auto Works (FAW Group) signed a significant agreement in Beijing at the Great Hall of the People, to establish a strategic and long-term cooperative relationship.\u00a0 In 2003 they formed a 50:50 joint venture, FAW-Toyota Marketing and Sales, or \u2018FTMS\u2019, to step up the distribution and sale of Toyota passenger car sales in China.\u00a0 Abdul Latif Jameel China saw the opportunity to support Toyota\u2019s investment in the market by expanding its own operations and turning the three TASS sites into \u20184S\u2019 Toyota dealerships, covering s<\/strong>ales, s<\/strong>ervice, s<\/strong>pare parts, and survey, to cater to the growing number of Toyota owners in China.<\/p>\n

This was at a time when China\u2019s automotive market was really beginning to take off as more and more models entered the market.\u00a0 Tapping into this exciting growth over the past 25 years, Abdul Latif Jameel China has developed three more FTMS dealerships in Leshan, Yinchuan and Lanzhou, plus a Lexus dealership in Wuhan and another dealership in Chengdu (with Toyota\u2019s other JV partner GTMC). \u00a0It now operates in eight locations across four provinces.<\/p>\n