Dongfeng Motor Corporation (“DFM”) held “DRIVE YOUR DREAM”-themed Global Distributor Conference 2018 in Beijing on April 25th, 2018. DFM’s Standing Committee Member and Vice General Manager, Liu Weidong, among other executives, partners from central enterprises of the “Belt and Road Initiative”, representatives of DFM’s global distributors and cooperators and heads of DFM’s overseas business units gathered to discuss the amicable cooperation plans and give some thoughts about the beautiful prospect of a joint development.

In the conference, DFM’s overseas business in 2017 was reviewed, and key work at the next stage was deployed. Also, the brand new “Dongfeng” brand strategy was released, and excellent distributors and cooperators 2017 were commended, and new products to be launched overseas soon were displayed, introduced and recommended. In the conference, DFM and SINOSURE entered into the Central Enterprise Cooperation Agreement, and Liu Weidong made a speech. After the conference, overseas distributors tried DFM’s representative models. 

As one of China’s three major automobile groups, DFM ranked No.68 among Fortune’s World Top 500 with an accumulative automobile sales volume of 4,121,000 in 2017. DFM exported 65,000 automobiles in 2017, up by 55.3% on a year-on-year basis. The vehicles, exported to 80 countries and regions, include nearly all models like Sedan, SUV, MPV, Pickup, Heavy Truck, Medium Duty Truck, Mini Truck, Mini Commercial Vehicle, etc. Therefore, 2017 has laid a solid foundation for the accomplishment of the objectives of the Thirteenth Five-year Plan of Dongfeng Oversea Business.

Li Junzhi, Head of Dongfeng Motor Corporation International Business Department and General Manager of China Dongfeng Automobile Industry Import and Export Co., Ltd., presented a report titled “Cooperation and Win-win to Create A Better Future”. In 2017, DFM’s Overseas Business achieved preliminary results in its development mode. Multiple development modes including strategic alliance, cross-border R&D, local manufacturing and local marketing were experimented actively per the general requirements of “seeking truth from facts, keeping expenditures within the limits of income, laying a solid foundation, creating models and making efforts to make breakthroughs”. Overseas layout was refined on a continuous basis. As a result, the overall layout of “3+3+N” has taken shape. Brand value kept growing, ranking No. 37 among the “Best China Brands 2017”, the 1st in automobile industry, and No. 36 among “500 Most Valuable Brands in China for 2017”. Its network channel was further expanded; 23 new sales dealers in 2017 were added thus reaching 750 in total, and 12 new service dealers were established, reaching 676 in total. More models were launched overseas; Dongfeng Motor Corporation totally launched eight new models in global markets in 2017, including DFM AX7, AX3, Captain N, KINLAND, KINGRUN and DFM Mini Truck. 

To realize the Overseas Midterm Cause Plan of DFM, that is, by 2020, the overseas sales volume reaches 150,000 and it enters the mainstream automobile market of Europe and the United States, DFM will put effort into the following work:

1. Enhance Strategic Development of Overseas Markets. In future, we will stick to four routes, i.e. Asia-Europe, Asia-Australia, Asia-Africa and Asia-America, reinforce its efforts in countries along “the Belt and Road Initiative”, enrich cooperation modes, upgrade level of cooperation and push forward building of “3+3+N” strategic development of its overseas business.

2. Speed up Product Launch. We will make overseas star products by enhancing its competitiveness over overseas products, technological foresight capacity, market relevance and superiority of quality. In the next three years, DFM will expedite new product launching, steadily launch 10-15 new competitive models to different regional markets and persistently diversify Dongfeng’s overseas product line.

3. Enhance marketing ability. We will vigorously carry out local marketing activities, improve comprehensive quality of local marketing staff and join hands with overseas distributors to enhance marketing ability.

4. Strengthen Brand Communications. We will further promote the international image and market reputation of Dongfeng brand by participation in overseas auto show, Volvo Ocean Race, new car release activity, overseas market celebrity endorsement, new model enter-the-market activities, etc.

5. Optimize Service Quality. We will further optimize the system and procedure and constantly enhance our overseas market response and serviceability. We will use differentiated products and express service to occupy the market and strengthen our comprehensive competitiveness at overseas market; expand value-added service, improve the terminal service ability and create Dongfeng Overseas Business’ differentiation competitive advantage of after-sales service. 

6. Enhance Dealer Building. We will continuously improve marketing service capacity building of overseas dealers to enhance the profitability of all levels of dealers; speed up the building of overseas sales service platform and further expand the coverage of Dongfeng overseas dealers.

7. Deepen Cooperation with Partners. By comprehensively promoting practical cooperation with global partners, we will deepen level of cooperation with partners and focus on building community of shared benefits and shared future.

According to information, in the next three years, DFM is intent to add 100 new overseas dealers. In 2018, DFM will launch SUV models AX4 and Glory 580, MPV models FurterLink S500 and Glory 370, the new-generation PUP, HCV, New Captain and new-generation DFM mini truck, etc. on major markets. From 2019 to 2020, it will launch DFM EV models and other new-generation models.

These core values of “Quality, Wisdom and Harmony” of “Dongfeng” brand stem from the profound historical accumulation of Dongfeng: the gene of fine workmanship which we have been pursuing for the past half century, the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit deeply rooted in the soul and the cultural concepts advancing with the times. These values embody the ability vision of Dongfeng to face the future: quality as the foundation, innovation as the source and harmony as the soul, to accelerate the construction of Dongfeng into a century-old international company that develops independently and sustainably and faces the whole world. These values also manifest Dongfeng's unique pursuit of brand personality: to promote the all-round development of the company in morality, intelligence, and emotion with lofty virtues, high intelligence and love for harmony.

To guarantee that the three projects of "Quality Dongfeng", "Intelligent Dongfeng" and "Harmonious Dongfeng" strike roots, Dongfeng will initiate its "9 action plans”: Superior Products, Excellent Services, Excellent Enterprise, Smart Manufacturing, Smart Vehicles, Smart Mobility, Green and Safe Development, Open and Cooperative Development and Harmonious and Shared Development.

Facing the future, "Dongfeng" brand is committed to providing customers with outstanding automotive products and transport services and to becoming a mainstream automobile brand which "leading in the country and among the best in the world”. By 2025, it will double its global sales to 2.3 million vehicles, promoting the overall sales volume of the vehicles under the independent brand of Dongfeng Group to join top 10 of the world. While developing the domestic market, it is also strengthening the capabilities of overseas business systems to make the products gradually enter the international mature market and upgrade the global reputation and influence of the Dongfeng brand.

Building Dongfeng into an international enterprise facing the world, has been the persistent pursuit of Dongfeng Motor Corporation. Next stage, DFM will actively carry out the “Belt and Road” Initiative, sturdily advance the overall layout of “3+3+N” strategy, strengthen the overseas communication of Dongfeng brand, deepen sustainable cooperation with partners and hold the development ideas of openness, cooperation, mutual-benefit and win-win to join hands and work closely with global partners to build Dongfeng into an international brand facing the world and make it into “an excellent enterprise which provides users with all-dimensional quality auto products and services”.