Guangzhou, July 23 (Xinhua) — According to Guangzhou Customs, as a major national automobile production hub, Guangzhou’s automotive industry has shown sustained vitality this year with a significant rise in exports. In the first half of the year, the city exported 90,000 vehicles, marking a 28.4% year-on-year increase.
With a solid foundation in traditional fuel vehicle production and a mature parts supply chain, Guangzhou has built a complete industrial chain spanning vehicle manufacturing, R&D, and import-export trade. In H1, the city exported 42,000 traditional fuel vehicles, up 24.2%. Meanwhile, Guangzhou’s electric vehicles, with their higher added value and stronger technological support, have injected new momentum into the industry, demonstrating robust growth. EV exports reached 48,000 units, rising 32.2%.
State-owned enterprises, deeply rooted in Guangzhou’s automotive sector for years, have accelerated internationalization with full industrial chain capabilities and large-scale export strength. They achieved breakthroughs in markets like Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, with H1 exports surging 43.4%. Their share of total auto exports rose 5.6 percentage points year-on-year to 53.6%. Meanwhile, local private automakers sustained growth through technological innovation and agile market strategies, posting strong sales in regions like Singapore and the EU. Private-sector vehicle exports jumped 72.4%.
Overseas brands from Guangzhou maintained steady export growth (up 24.9% in H1), backed by stable quality, mature sales networks, and market presence. Domestic brands, reshaping consumer mobility experiences with autonomous driving tech and rapidly iterating product lineups at “China speed,” saw exports climb 27.6%, accounting for 63.9% of total auto exports—a 15.3-percentage-point increase from 2020.
To support Guangzhou’s auto exports, the local customs introduced 10 measures, including establishing a “front-port, back-trade” auto base and streamlining export supervision. Efficient clearance methods like “immediate inspection upon vehicle/declaration arrival” enable exports to clear customs within one hour of port arrival.
In late June, Guangzhou and Hong Kong Customs launched the “Guangzhou-Hong Kong Auto Export Express” at Nansha Port: Mainland vehicles bound for Hong Kong can now clear customs at Nansha and temporarily store in bonded warehouses pending HK-side licensing approvals. This slashes HK license-plate waiting time from 14 to 3 working days post-arrival, significantly reducing storage costs. Companies estimate annual warehouse savings of ~25 million yuan. (End)
