China's Great Wall Motors makes foray into Thailand

China's largest SUV and pickup truck maker Great Wall Motors unveiled two vehicle models in Thailand on Tuesday, firing the opening salvo of its effort to explore the market in the Southeast Asian country.

Another two models will follow soon this year, and a total of nine models will be available in the Thai market in three years, said the company headquartered in Baoding, Hebei province.

The majority of the nine models will be electric ones, as Great Wall Motors aspires to become a leader in the country's new energy vehicle segment.

Narong Sritalayon, managing director of the carmaker's operations in Thailand, said Great Wall Motors values the voice of Thai people.

"We did surveys and gathered consumer insights to cater our business plans and operations to the demands of Thai consumers," he said in a statement.

Great Wall Motors has acquired a Thai plant from GM Motors. The plant, located in Rayong, is undergoing upgrading and is scheduled to start production in the first quarter of 2021.

The carmaker said the Thai plant will be capable of producing hybrid models, plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles for the local market.

The foray into Thailand is one of the latest moves Great Wall Motors has taken to explore overseas markets.

The carmaker's products are now available in around 60 countries and regions globally. It has a global manufacturing network as well.

Last year, its overseas sales totaled 70,000 units, up 8 percent year-on-year. The carmaker delivered over 1.1 million new vehicles globally, up 4.8 percent from 2019.

Statistics from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers show that Chinese carmakers exported 995,000 vehicles in 2020, down 2.9 percent year-on-year, primarily because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

SUVs and new energy vehicles were highlights, said the association. Its statistics show that SUV sales totaled 530,000 in the year, soaring 29.7 percent year-on-year, and new energy vehicle sales reached nearly 70,000 units, up 89.4 percent from 2019.