[Alicante, Spain] Dongfeng Motor Corporation (DFM) exclusively titled Dongfeng and established the Dongfeng Race Team to take part in the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-2018. On October 21, 2017, DFM convened a press conference themed “The Belt and Road Initiative, With You” at the first stop of the season, Alicante of Spain, by which DFM appealed to global companions to establish opening cooperation and build mutually-benefited relations with countries and regions along the routes of “The Belt and Road Initiative” as well as making our efforts to boost the global ocean navigation course and promote cultural exchange.
DFM signed cooperation agreements respectively with China COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited and SMT Belgium on the press conference. Besides, crew of Dongfeng Race Team were presented, with names of the first 9 seamen first released.
Wind from the East (Meaning of Dongfeng in Chinese) Setting sail again
The VOR, a professional sports event with the world-longest duration, known as “the Mount Qomolangma in the circle of Navigation”, is a globally top offshore sailing race. In the season 2014-2015, the Dongfeng Race Team was a participant for the first time and was the third winner, widely recognized and supported by global fans and the public, acquainting the world with DFM from China. This season (VOR 2017-2018), Dongfeng Race Team is renamed as the Team of China. The Dongfeng Race Team was the second winner in the new season “Dress Rehearsal” zero-stage race which was just over two months ago.
It has been announced that Charles Caudrelier is the skipper of the Team for the second time, and the Team is composed of 12-strong members from France, New Zealand, Netherlands, Australia, Britain and China, of which 2 are female and 3 are Chinese.
Charles said, “It has been a great honor to be the skipper of the team again. Hopefully, we can do better and create new records”. It is an excellent team; we hope to gain more from the second shot and will make our efforts to make a better performance, said Chen Jinhao, representative of the sailing squad.
DFM has been partnered with Volvo Group since 2013. Besides, on such a big event of the Volvo Ocean Race, DFM titled and teamed up the Dongfeng Race Team again, which vastly promotes the development of competitive sailing course at the sea and accelerates the blending and harmony between human being and the nature.
Mutual-benefit Co-establishing the economic belt of prosperity
The VOR is a top event brand and “The Belt and Road Initiative” is an initiative echoed among more than 100 nations and organizations around the globe, both of which are thereby getting closer because of the “Dongfeng” of China. Meanwhile, the stops of VOR agree with nations along the routes of “The Belt and Road Initiative” and the elements of Dongfeng and China will be able to help the public of the nations along the routes know better about China and Chinese enterprises.
DFM has been actively responding to the initiative of “The Belt and Road Initiative”, and has devoted itself to developing Dongfeng Brand into an internationally famous one and expanding new routes. “The Belt and Road Initiative, With You” initiated by DFM this time is a specific action of the first Chinese motor brand responding to the initiative of “The Belt and Road Initiative”, which will also be an attraction to more partners to be with Dongfeng.
The Deputy Secretary of the CPC of Dongfeng Motor Group Co., Ltd, He Wei said, “Dongfeng Motor Corporation is the Dongfeng of China, and the Dongfeng of the World. It is of great significance to take part in the race. DFM hopes to contribute to the intercommunication, reciprocity and mutual benefit and jointly promote the global development of the ocean course by virtue of the VOR”.
“The VOR is a good platform for exchange. Apart from events and business cooperation, it is also an important belt for cultural exchange between the East and the West. DFM takes Dongfeng Race Team as the carrier and builds up a more open communication platform to strengthen communication with each other and promote cultural exchange”, added Liu Wenqiu, the Chinese cultural counsellor in the Embassy of Spain.
“COSCO and DFM are partners, both shouldering the responsibilities as Chinese enterprises. We will continue to deepen our cooperation, strengthen coordination, take the eastern wind (“Dongfeng”) of “The Belt and Road Initiative”, coordinate the wide resources around the globe and make efforts to promote the realization of the initiative of ‘The Belt and Road Initiative’”, said Lin Ji, President of China COSCO (Europe).
China’s Dongfeng (eastern wind) is also the world’s Dongfeng (eastern wind). DFM devotes itself to becoming the motor enterprise of international competitiveness. Apart from “going out”, it also moves towards the deep blending and transformation of “going in” and “going upwards”. “Going out” is mainly featured by opportunity-exit, while “going in” requires gradual blending into local main-stream markets, getting into the main streams of local economic and social development, further winning the wide recognition of global consumers and thereby realizing high-efficient configurations of local resources. “Going upwards” means realizing brand orientation, enhancing brand value and promoting brand image to create world-famous motor brand.
From January to September 2017, the number of exported vehicles by DFM was 47,000, 75% up on a year-on-year basis. In the next five years, DFM is intended to put more abundant and quality products on the global market to fully improve the competitiveness of Dongfeng products. The distribution networks of DFM overseas will be increased to 912 with its overseas after-sales service stations up to 971. Therefore, DFM will be able to provide more efficient and quality services around the globe.
About Us:
Dongfeng Motor Corporation (its predecessor, the Second Automotive Works) was established in 1969 and it is one of the greatest motor enterprises in the PRC. Its headquarter is now located in Wuhan, known as “the thoroughfare to nine provinces”, with its major production facilities distributed in Shiyan, Xiangyang, Wuhan and Guangzhou. DFM has a wide coverage of business scope, engaged in whole serial commercial vehicles, passenger vehicles, auto parts and components, vehicle manufacturing equipment and auto related business.
Till the end of 2016, the gross value of assets of DFM has been RMB 295.8 billion with 170,000 employees. In 2016, DFM sold 4,277,000 units, with RMB 571.76 billion operating income, ranking No. 68 in Fortune 500, No.16 in the Top 500 Enterprises in China, No.3 among the Top 500 Enterprises in China’s machinery industry and No.2 in the automobile field of China. DFM is of powerful influence and brand charisma in automobile field in China. Dongfeng is the first famous trademark in China’s automobile industry, one of the Top 10 Famous Trademarks of Growing Force in China and one of the World Top 500 Famous Brands. In 2016, DFM sold 1,377,400 its self-owned brand automobiles, 13.03% up on a year-on-year basis.
Dongfeng Race Team was the third winner in the VOR 2014-2015, which is the first Chinese fleet getting to the ultimate podium in the history of VOR. Dongfeng Race Team will be 100% sponsored by DFM to take part in the VOR 2017-2018.
For more news, please contact:
Wang Yilin
Email: wangyilin@dfcv.com.cn
Tel.: 027-84305448
