BMW's 'vividly connected' global supply chains deeply embedded in China: CEO

China

BMW's 'vividly connected' global supply chains deeply embedded in China: CEO

2025-03-24 16:42 Last Updated At：17:57

Oliver Zipse, chairman of the board of management and CEO of BMW AG, on Sunday highlighted the company's deep integration with Chinese supply chains and reaffirmed its commitment to continue investing in the Chinese market.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 2025 China Development Forum, held in Beijing from March 23 to 24, Zipse highlighted China's crucial role in BMW's global supply chain, particularly in its electric vehicle (EV) battery partnerships.

"BMW is a global company. We're vividly connected with global supply chains. Many of them have some part also located here in China. Let's take vehicle batteries, for example. We have (Chinese) companies like CATL or EVE where we develop, blend and manufacture cells for our vehicles in China but also outside of China," said Zipse.

Emphasizing China's increasing importance for BMW since its entry in 1994, he reiterated the company's long-term confidence in the country, pointing to the huge portions of the population who do not yet own a car as cause for continued optimism.

"It's today by far our biggest single market we had. In the mid-term I remain optimistic because it's still the biggest car market in the world. And the mobility rate in China for its 1.4 billion inhabitants is still fairly low. So compared to Europe or the United States, there's still a large gap which can be fulfilled," said the company chairman.

He also praised the advanced technologies coming out of China, stating that BMW hopes to collaborate with China in exporting its innovations.

"The second positive thing I think is, it's a highly innovative market. So it's not only about this market, it's also about developing something here for the world. The whole technology export business, where we can profit from that also in Germany or other parts of the world. So generally we are still positive and we invest here and we want to be part of that society here as well," Zipse said.

UNGA President warns global multilateral system "under attack"

The multilateral system is "under attack" amid global turmoil, President of the 80th UN General Assembly Annalena Baerbock warned in her remarks on Wednesday.

In her briefing on the priorities for the resumed 80th Session of the General Assembly, the UNGA president noted that the current multilateral system does not collapse all in a sudden, but "crumbles piece by piece" in divisions, compromises, and lack of political commitment.

The president called all the UN member states to defend the UN Charter and international law and promote cross-regional cooperation.

She also urged to push forward the work of the UNGA on certain critical issues with a strong majority, rather than an absolute consensus among all member states. Such act is not a failure of multilateralism, but "an affirmation of it," she said.

The foundational principles of the institution should not be eroded by appeasement, she said, calling the member states to show courage, leadership, and responsibility at the UN's "critical make-or-break moment."

"The UN needs you. Your support, your leadership, your principle, stand, your cross-regional cooperation, if we are to preserve and modernize this institution, if we are to make it, rather than break it," she said.