At the 2026 World Intelligent Connected Vehicles Conference (WICV) in Beijing, a dedicated forum on October 23 brought together government officials, automakers, and supply-chain companies to deepen collaboration across the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, according to Chinese outlet First Electric. The forum, part of the state-approved conference now in its eighth year, focused on strengthening the regional supply chain for intelligent connected new-energy vehicles (NEVs) and advancing coordinated international expansion.
Regional strategy and industrial synergy
Guo Shougang, director of the Equipment Industry Department at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said the smart NEV industry is a key driver for regional innovation and modernizing the industrial system. He called for leveraging the strengths of the three localities, enhancing core technology research, and improving cross-regional collaboration mechanisms to support the "15th Five-Year Plan" period (2026-2030).
Jiang Guangzhi, director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, noted that automotive collaboration among Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei is transitioning from project-based cooperation to integrated chain building. He emphasized three priorities: innovation, chain development, and openness, including accelerating the adoption of first-set and first-edition innovations, building science and technology eco-harbors, and establishing platforms for automotive companies to go global.
Tian Haipeng, deputy director of the Tianjin Municipal Industry and Information Technology Bureau, highlighted a "one chain per month, one cluster per quarter" coordination mechanism to deepen industrial collaboration and enhance regional supporting capabilities. He also stressed advancing "vehicle-road-cloud integration" and cross-regional scenario interconnectivity. Hao Lixiao, deputy director of the Hebei Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology, said Hebei will leverage its industrial base and application scenarios to strengthen main-supplier partnerships and expand testing demonstrations.
Supply chain and internationalization
During a panel discussion on regional supply chain building, representatives from BAIC Group, Xiaomi Auto, Li Auto, and FAW-Volkswagen exchanged views on aligning vehicle demand with parts supply capabilities. They explored collaborative R&D, supplier introduction, and project layout to attract upstream and downstream companies to the region.
In dedicated presentations, executives from Beijing Hainachuan Automotive Parts and Webasto's Baoding plant discussed how vehicle demand can drive joint R&D and localized supply, deepening cooperation from technology development to mass production, and expanding opportunities for coordinated overseas expansion.
The forum also featured introductions of NEV science and technology eco-harbors in Shunyi (Beijing), Wuqing (Tianjin), and Langfang (Hebei), as well as Beijing's Yizhuang area. Twelve companies signed agreements to set up projects in these parks, covering intelligent driving, automotive electronics, and key NEV components.
Du Junbao, executive president of the Zhongguancun Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei New Energy Vehicle Collaborative Development Promotion Association, presented a report on strengthening the regional industry chain. The forum also released the "Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Automotive Industry Collaborative Development Research Report," outlining a 2030 vision and implementation paths for regional industry division, vehicle-supplier collaboration, innovation, and internationalization.
Wang Baoming, vice president of Tianjin Port Co., introduced the port's advantages for automotive exports, including roll-on/roll-off shipping, logistics support, and customs facilitation. A joint initiative on coordinated overseas expansion was issued, advocating regional synergy, compliance, and long-term investment in overseas markets, aiming to shift from product exports to ecosystem building.
