The development of motorcycle in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality over past decades has created a shared and win-win ecosystem for the industrial chain.
In 2024, China exported 14.4989 million complete motorcycles, among which 5.027 million were produced in Chongqing
In the first quarter this year, Chongqing's motorcycle exports reached 6.52 billion yuan (about 906.9 million U.S. dollars), increasing by 67.4 percent year on year.
In the 1980s, relying on the solid foundation of mechanical manufacturing and industrialization, Chongqing was once a major production capacity hub for motorcycles in the country.
However, along with its rapid development, motorcycle enterprises that initially mainly relied on imitation and assembly for survival soon lost their competitiveness.
Having long been trapped in homogeneous competition, with its technology remaining at the stage of imitation, Loncin Motor in Chongqing chose to follow a new path of technological breakthrough and industrial upgrading after its export scale was halved.
From initially only being able to supply core components for high-end engines to now jointly developing and exporting complete vehicles, during the 20 years of cooperation between Loncin and international brands, the relationship between the two sides has been constantly evolving.
"In the past, we were just a supplier for purchasers, while now the simple supplier-purchaser relationship has evolved into a strategic partnership," said Li Jun, vice president of Loncin Motor Co., Ltd.
Nowadays, the motorcycle industry in Chongqing has once again taken the leading position in the country.
"Our enterprise thus acquired the ability to engage in dialog with more top enterprises within the industry," said Wang Lan, director of the general manager office of the enterprise.
Established in 2009, Rong-jue Motorcycle has always focused its main efforts on the layout of emerging markets and the transformation of new materials and new technologies.
"This vehicle features an all-aluminum alloy and carbon fiber frame design, making it a full-sized off-road vehicle with a maximum flight altitude of over five meters. At the Milan Motorcycle and Bicycle Exhibition last year, we received a deposit of over 1 million yuan (about 139,100 U.S. dollars). I told the European and American customers at that time that it might take us another year to launch on the market, but they were also willing to pay a deposit. This is the dividend brought to us by the development of new quality productive forces in our country's supply chain," said Yang Xiaolin, general manager of Rong-jue Motorcycle.
In Jiulongpo District of the city, nearly 1,800 merchants of different sizes have gathered at a "motorcycle street," and the city is building a motorcycle supply chain circle with a radius of 50 kilometers.
"We used to focus on exporting products, and then our enterprises have been making their presence abroad. Now, however, we are exporting the industrial chain. In this process, not only have large enterprises grown, but some small firms have also found their own niche fields, thus driving the entire industry to gain a competitive edge in the industrial and supply chains in the global market," said Fang Fang, an officer at Chongqing Customs. By the end of 2024, Chongqing had formed an annual comprehensive production capacity of over 14 million complete vehicles and 20 million engines, with a complete supporting capacity for major assemblies such as engines, clutches, frames, wheels and instruments as well.
By leveraging their strong supply chain advantages, some enterprises that have long laid out overseas markets have already completed the technology export to partners in South America, Africa and Southeast Asia.
"China's supply chain platform is fully open, not only open to the series within China but also to those around the world. This epitomizes China's mindset in building its supply chain, which emphasizes sharing and win-win results," said Yang.
Chongqing's motorcycle development contribute to shared ecosystem for global industrial chain
