Nation's cars shuttle VIPs at key summits

Chinese carmakers are increasingly being chosen to offer vehicles for important international summits, a sign of their fame on the global stage.

A total of 140 D90 SUVs from Maxus, a brand owned by Chinese carmaker SAIC Motor, are transporting delegates at the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement, an international organization dedicated to representing the interests and aspirations of developing countries, and the third South Summit, the supreme decision-making body of the Group of 77, that run from Monday to Saturday in Kampala, Uganda.

A Maxus representative said the summits' choice of the D90 represents their confidence in Chinese car marques and China-made vehicles.

The fleet was delivered to local authorities in early January and Maxus has dispatched technical staff to the African nation to guarantee the vehicles' service at the event.

Maxus said the vehicles provided for the summits are Australian spec, considering Uganda's climatic and geographical features.

The model, which won five-star ratings in the Australasian New Car Assessment Program, is sold in many parts of the world including Australia, New Zealand, Africa, the Middle East and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The summits are the latest international events to use Maxus vehicles — but it is not the only Chinese carmaker to serve international events.

Buses from China's Yutong plied the streets of Qatar during the FIFA World Cup 2022.

Also, a fleet of Air EVs manufactured by China's Wuling served as shuttle vehicles at the 17th Group of 20, or G20 Summit, in Bali, Indonesia, in late 2022.

Their use at influential events is proof of the rise of the Chinese automotive industry and the growing popularity of made-in-China vehicles internationally.

Statistics from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturer show that 4.91 million vehicles were shipped overseas from China in 2023, up 57.9 percent year-on-year.

In late 2023, Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper reported that China has overtaken South Korea as Australia's third-largest source of new cars.

The London newspaper estimated that the country could challenge Japan's dominance in the country in just another five years.

Australia is one of the largest markets for Maxus. The company said its popularity has a lot to do with a "global vehicle" approach. This means its models are designed and developed with the global markets in mind so they can win high ratings in safety and quality standards in those destinations.

The brand saw its cumulative overseas sales hit a landmark 300,000 units in December. It came only a year after it celebrated the shipment of 200,000 units overseas, where it was sold in 73 countries and regions, many of which are developed economies.

In Africa, Japanese and European brands still prevail but Chinese carmakers are growing their market share.

Vehicles from Chinese marques represent value for money, offering more features at lower prices than similar cars made by some European or Japanese companies.

"Indeed, the Chinese carmakers have taken the South African market by storm," said Walt Madeira, principal analyst for Europe, the Middle East and Africa vehicle forecasting at S&P Global Mobility.