German automaker Mercedes-Benz Group AG is strategically positioning itself to tap into the potential for innovation and global expansion in China, the world's largest auto market.
Hubertus Troska, a member of the Board of Management at Mercedes-Benz Group AG responsible for Greater China, stressed the significance of China within the company's global strategy in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) on the sidelines of this year's Beijing Auto Show, which runs from April 25 to May 5 at the capital's China International Exhibition Center.
"China is by far the biggest market in the world, both for combustion as well as for NEV, so it's a fascinating market. For Mercedes-Benz, it's by far the most important market in the world. Our biggest plant in the world for Mercedes-Benz is also in China and in R and D, our biggest center of R and D outside our headquarter is in China. It's the youngest customer base, and we're very very happy to be in China," he said.
As Mercedes-Benz's largest production site, China not only serves as a manufacturing hub but also as a center for technological innovation. The company plans to further enhance its investment in research and development (R and D) and industrial chain development in China.
"We want to focus on having China-fit products perfect for our Chinese customers, so we are becoming even more local, but we are also using the innovative power of China and its suppliers to invent and innovate for our worldwide vehicles so China gets more and more responsibility also for global development. I think there are many good ideas that we have in China will also benefit customers of Mercedes-Benz all over the world," he said.
The German auto maker inaugurated a new building at its R and D center in Shanghai on April 19, with an investment value of 69 million yuan (about 9.71 million U.S. dollars).
Troska expressed the company's intention to leverage China's innovation capabilities and cater to local preferences to help develop new features and models for global customers.
"Right now in Beijing Auto Show we are launching the all-electric G-Benz. Of course, we have many electric cars already, both localized in China and imported. We will also expand our line of plugins to have even more options for our customers. And thirdly we will launch in Beijing our new next generation MMA platform of electric vehicles and combustion vehicles. So I think we're perfectly set for the potential and the development in China. This is the biggest market in the world, so this is the place to be," he said.
Mercedes Benz eyes innovation, global growth in China, world's largest auto market
Actors from the new comedy "The Last Frenzy" shared the behind-the-scenes stories on China Central Television (CCTV), as the film has performed quite well at the box office and earned great viewership from the audience.
As of Monday, the sixth day of the film's release, the total box office revenue from the film had surpassed 400 million yuan (about 55.48 million U.S. dollars), ranking the first among all the films screened around the May Day holiday from May 1 to 5.
The film tells the story of a middle-aged man named Jia Youwei, played by veteran comedian Jia Bing, grappling with life-altering decisions when he is confronted with an incurable illness and a mere 10 days left to live. Choosing to spend his million yuan property proceeds on unforgettable experiences with friends, Jia embarks on a poignant journey of camaraderie and self-discovery.
In the CCTV interview, Jia Bing analyzed into the character he played.
"Jia Youwei is a little bit stingy because of the family he was born into. He is reluctant to spend money because after his parents died, he didn't have any other people to rely on. He saves money as a way of guarantee for himself. He is portrayed as a careless person in the film, but actually he has a delicate mind. As the movie unfolds, you'll find Jia Youwei is actually quite generous, especially to his friends. He is willing to give up everything he has in order to help his friends realize their dreams," Jia said.
Dong Baoshi, a rap singer-turned actor, played one of Jia Youwei's friends in the film. He said many of the scenes were improvised.
"Many of the scenes in the film were improvised. I didn't know much about acting before working with Jia Bing and Xiao Shenyang (another actor). They have a lot of inspiration and many of the lines in the film were improvised by them. I often laughed out on the set because there were many interesting lines that they came up with in a way like freestyle," Dong said.
Jia agreed with Dong and said director Urna is very fond of the improvised scenes.
"We are the same both in and outside the film. What we look like in the film is the same with that in our daily life. There is no difference. Director Urna says she hopes we can be ourselves and that she loves the 'freestyle' scenes in which we play roles," Jia said.
As a rookie actor, Dong said he has learned a lot from Jia and other actors in the film.
"Jia offered me much advice on playing a comedy, such as the rhythm of saying the lines. He also helped me adjust my performance, which I think is a wonderful process. I was a little bit shy at first. But with his encouragement, I began participating in the creation process with other actors in a very relaxed mood," Dong said.
Jia has so far played roles in more than 50 films and TV series, mostly comedies. Unlike other actors who pursue an all-around and versatile development, Jia said he wants to stick to the comedy business.
He also performed in many comic sketches before and once performed on China Media Group's Spring Festival Gala, a TV show enjoyed by almost every household in China on the eve of the Chinese New Year.
"I once made a promise to myself that I would devote my whole lifetime to comedy. Since comic sketches have gradually lost attraction to young people and I couldn't come up with good punch lines any more, I decide to spend more time on films and think carefully about each character I will play, so as to bring laughter to the audience. I think I haven't reneged on my promise," Jia said.
Comedy film actors share behind-the-scenes stories
