Auto China 2026 wraps up after setting multiple new records

China

Auto China 2026 wraps up after setting multiple new records

2026-05-04 02:11 Last Updated At：07:27

The 2026 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, or Auto China 2026, wrapped up on Sunday, shattering multiple global records as visitors voiced strong optimism about the future of China's auto industry.

The 10-day show, which opened on April 24 under the theme "Future of Intelligence," set a new global record for scale.

Spanning 380,000 square meters across two venues, it featured 1,451 vehicles on display -- including 181 premieres and 71 concept cars.

On attendance, this year's auto show attracted a total of 1.28 million visits, including approximately 65,000 made by overseas attendees.

New energy vehicles (NEVs) at the show caught attention of many international visitors.

Chinese automotive electronics firm AutoLink used the show to present a next-generation vehicle electronic and electrical architecture, and at BYD's fast-charging booth, a NEV charged from 20 to 97 percent in just 12 minutes.

In 2025, domestic production and sales of NEVs both exceeded 16 million units, with NEVs accounting for over 50 percent of new car sales on the domestic market.

"It's actually nice to see most electric cars here. We don't have so much electric cars in South Africa, where I come from. So it's actually amazing," said a visitor. This year's auto show also introduced car fans to new types of vehicles -- from minimalist leisure cars with ultra-simple cockpits and cyber-style rugged pickups to electric rotor-craft -- all of which expanded visitors' imagination of future mobility.

"I'm most excited about self-driving cars, as they can free us humans from driving, and I also look forward to seeing more cutting-edge technologies, like flying cars," said another visitor.

At this year's auto show, the global automotive industry shows more evident trend toward electrification and intelligent transformation.

Nearly 80 percent of the new models unveiled were NEVs, while Chinese independent brands accounted for 60 percent of the total.

According to an organizer of the exhibition, future editions will place greater emphasis on enhancing the event's international reach, and efforts will be also made to achieve comprehensive brand and value extension across the entire automotive industrial chain, including after-market sectors.

"We expect China's auto industry to achieve coordinated integration in both complete vehicles and high-end components during its expansion to overseas markets. Through platforms like the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, we expect to facilitate exchanges between domestic and international automotive technologies, brands, and cultures, helping Chinese automobiles reach global markets more effectively," said Wang Junqing, deputy director-general of the automotive sub-council of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

Iran says no plans to meet U.S. officials, consultations with mediators continue

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that Tehran currently has no plans to meet with U.S. officials, while consultations with Qatari and Pakistani mediators continue over Iran's conditions for resolving the crisis, Qatar's Al Jazeera reported Saturday.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Araghchi dismissed reports of possible meetings as media speculation, saying Iran saw no need to meet with American officials at present.

He said Tehran would decide whether to hold direct or indirect negotiations after Washington accepted Iran's conditions.

Araghchi said an Iranian delegation had traveled to Qatar for further discussions, adding that his aide was there to continue consultations with mediators.

According to Araghchi, Iran's conditions include recognition of a new shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz that Tehran had worked out with Oman, and the closure of other routes.

He said Tehran also sought the lifting of sanctions imposed after the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), a reduction in U.S. military forces in the region, the restoration of sanctions waivers for Iranian oil exports, and the release of all frozen Iranian funds, including those held in Qatar.

Iran also demanded an end to hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon, he said.

Araghchi said mediators had presented proposals concerning Iran's nuclear program, which Tehran was reviewing as part of what he described as a second phase.

The Iranian foreign minister also said a letter from U.S. Vice President JD Vance had been reviewed at high-level meetings, describing the American effort to open the door to broader dialogue and understanding as a "positive step."

On Feb 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets in the region, and tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.

A ceasefire was achieved between the warring parties on April 8. On June 18, Iran and the United States signed the MoU on ending the war in the region on all fronts.

Under the MoU, the two countries were scheduled to hold negotiations within 60 days, ending on Aug 17, to reach a final agreement on Iran's nuclear program and the removal of sanctions. However, they failed to make sufficient progress toward a deal.