BYD lauded a success in cooperation

A Chinese electric car manufacturer has been lauded by Chinese and United States officials as a successful example of China-US business cooperation.

China's Ambassador to the US Qin Gang wrapped up his multiday Southern California journey on Tuesday by visiting Build Your Dreams' manufacturing plant in Lancaster, California. The company demonstrates what China and the US could achieve by working together in business and climate change, leaders said.

Accompanied by local officials, representatives from BYD and some of its key US business partners, Qin toured BYD's bus manufacturing facility, chatted with employees at the plant, and even rode on a zero-emission bus built by local workers.

The Shenzhen-based BYD is a household name in China, but before his visit to the BYD plant, Qin could not believe that the automaker has such "big exposure in the United States".

"This is such a successful story, not only for BYD, but for the city of Lancaster and its people, and for Sino-US business cooperation," Qin said.

He noted that BYD, which manufactures electric vehicles, is leading the global efforts against climate change. There needs to be more stories of partnerships like what Lancaster and BYD are doing, the ambassador said. He encouraged more Chinese companies to come to the US to find business opportunities.

Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris was instrumental in bringing BYD's manufacturing facility to his city. He commended the automaker's role in supporting the local economy and improving the lives of families, and also helping to reduce environmental impact.

"These buses are not just less expensive to operate. Do you know that Palmdale and Lancaster are the only cities in the country whose air quality got better in the last year? That's the impact of China and America," he said, adding that it is "truly phenomenal" when China and the US work together.

Stella Li, president of BYD Americas, said the company wants to be "a good example of cooperation" despite tensions between China and the US.

"We want to demonstrate that we need to work together to combat climate change, we need to work closely and transparently to change the world together," she said.

The BYD plant, which broke ground in 2013, is located in Lancaster, a desert town on the fringe of Los Angeles County. The company is the city's largest manufacturing employer, operating a unionized factory.

It currently has around 1,000 employees in the US, including 600 manufacturing jobs in Lancaster.

Primitivo Sedeno, a welding engineer at the plant, has worked for the company for six years now. He said he believes that BYD is becoming a dominant force in producing green vehicles and it "is going to be here for a very, very long time".

Herbert Colato, another employee who has worked for BYD for five years, said he likes working at the plant because it gives him the satisfaction that he is producing something that will help the community.

"When I see the buses that we built running out in town, it makes me proud. It gives me the satisfaction like we created that," Colato said.

When asked how he feels about his visit to Southern California, Qin said the week has been "fruitful", and he sees huge potential for cooperation between the two nations in various areas.

"California has the largest economy in the US, and has so many enterprises, institutions, universities. ... It's a very enlightening and inspiring trip, and I've found huge potential and opportunities for the exchanges and cooperation between China and the US, between China and California," he said.