Former Volkswagen exec praises China's auto innovation and speed

China's fast-evolving auto industry continues to impress with its innovation speed and growing technological capabilities, said Jochem Heizmann, former member of the Volkswagen Group Board of Management and former CEO of Volkswagen Group China, in an interview.

Speaking on the sidelines of the ongoing China-Germany Automotive Conference in Changchun, Jilin province, Heizmann said he was "very impressed" by the progress he witnessed at FAW-Volkswagen. "The new models, the production capacity, and the strong R&D capability all show the achievements of our joint ventures in China over the past decades," he said.

Heizmann, who first visited Changchun 35 years ago, noted how much the city and its automotive sector have transformed, adding that China's rapid development in electric and intelligent vehicles has set new benchmarks.

"Both sides can learn from each other — Germany can learn from China's speed and digital innovation, while China can still draw from Germany's experience in engineering and industrial precision," he said. "Overall, cooperation between the two countries will continue to drive future success."

He also identified plug-in hybrids built on dedicated EV platforms as a "promising technology" that balances city electric driving with longer-range intercity travel. "The German automotive industry can also learn from China's progress in this field," he added.

Heizmann strongly agreed with the idea of "combining German quality with Chinese speed". "Over the past decades, I've seen how fast things can develop in China, from R&D to production and to the market," he said. "This pace is much faster than what we were used to in Germany. It's something we're learning from."

Reaffirming his confidence in China's role in global automotive supply chains, he stressed the importance of reliability and cooperation. "It is extremely important to maintain reliable and balanced cooperation among China, Europe and the United States," Heizmann said. "Global supply chains depend on trust and stability, and such international collaboration will remain essential for the entire automotive industry."

The ongoing ninth China-Germany Automotive Conference, which opened on Wednesday, brought together around 300 representatives from auto sectors in both countries, including more than 60 industry experts from Germany.

The event was first launched in 2017 by the Investment Promotion Agency of China's Ministry of Commerce in partnership with German automotive industry clusters and associations. Since then, the conference has served as an annual institutional platform promoting cooperation along the China-Germany automotive and supply chains.

The 10th edition of the conference will be held in October 2026 in Wolfsburg, Germany, home to Volkswagen's global headquarters.