Memorabilia of China’s Automobile Industry in 50 Years

★In October 1949, the Bureau of Machinery Industry of the Central Ministry of Heavy Industry began to prepare for the establishment of the automobile industry in New China.

★In April 1950, the Ministry of Heavy Industry established the automobile industry preparatory group, and appointed Guo Li as the director of the preparatory group, and Meng Shaonong and Hu Yunfang as the deputy directors.

★In March 1951, the Finance and Economics Committee of the State Council approved the construction of the First Automobile Manufacturing Plant in Changchun.

★In January 1953, the First Ministry of Machinery Industry changed the former Auto Industry Preparatory Group of the Ministry of Heavy Industry to the Auto Industry Administration, and appointed Zhang Fengshi as the director and Jiang Zemin as the deputy director.

★In June 1953, Chairman Mao Zedong personally issued the "Instructions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Striving to Build Changchun Automobile Plant in Three Years".

★ In July 1953, the First Automobile Manufacturing Plant held a grand foundation laying ceremony. The white marble cornerstone of Chairman Mao Zedong’s inscription "Memorial of the Foundation Laying of the First Automobile Factory" was placed in the central square of the factory. Groundbreaking of the First Automobile Manufacturing Plant.

★In July 1956, the first domestically produced Jiefang 4-ton truck was born in the First Automobile Manufacturing Plant.

★On October 14, 1956, the FAW was officially handed over for acceptance; the groundbreaking ceremony was held on the 15th.

★In December 1957, Hongdu Machinery Factory successfully trial-produced the Yangtze River 750 motorcycle.

★In May 1958, the First Automobile Manufacturing Plant successfully trial-produced Dongfeng brand cars and sent them to Beijing as a gift to the Party’s “Eighth National Congress”. In August, the first Hongqi luxury car was successfully designed and trial-produced.

★In September 1958, FAW successfully trial-produced the first CA30 2.5-ton military off-road vehicle.

★In September 1958, Shanghai Automobile Assembly Factory (Shanghai Automobile Decoration Factory) successfully trial-produced the first Phoenix car.

★In December 1965, China National Automobile Industry Corporation decided to establish the Preparatory Office of the Second Automobile Manufacturing Plant. Rao Bin and Qi Kang are responsible.

★In April 1966, the first batch of 20 Hongqi three-row luxury sedans from the First Automobile Manufacturing Plant was sent to Beijing.

★On April 1, 1967, the Second Automobile Manufacturing Plant officially broke ground and held a groundbreaking ceremony. The project started in September.

★In December 1971, FAW successfully trial-produced a 60-ton dump truck for mining.

★On September 15, 1979, the Jialing Machinery Factory of the Ministry of Weapons successfully trial-produced the first Jialing brand CJ50 motorcycle.

★On May 7, 1982, China National Automobile Industry Corporation was formally established in Beijing, with Rao Bin as the chairman of the board.

★On February 26, 1983, FAW held a grand celebration meeting for producing one million cars.

★In April 1983, the State Planning Commission and the State Economic Commission formally approved the designated mini-car plan.

★On April 11, 1983, the first Shanghai Santana car was successfully assembled in Shanghai Automobile Factory. The state stipulates that automobile manufacturers have a certain percentage of the auto-sale rights of automobile products.

★In July 1983, the China Association for Science and Technology approved the establishment of the China Automotive Engineering Society.

★In January 1984, "China Automobile News" was officially published and distributed.

★On January 15, 1984, Beijing Jeep Automobile Co., Ltd., a joint venture between Beijing Automobile Manufacturing Plant and American Automobile Company (AMC), held an opening ceremony.

★In May 1984, the state-owned Chang'an Machinery Factory and Japan Suzuki Auto Industry Co., Ltd. reached an agreement on the introduction of technology for the production of ST90 series of mini-cars combined with technology and trade.

★In August 1984, the Central Finance and Economics Leading Group held an enlarged meeting in Beidaihe to study the development of the automobile industry and proposed that "my country's automobile industry should have a great development."

★On October 5, 1984, the second automobile Xiangfan base held a groundbreaking ceremony.

★In November 1984, the State Planning Commission approved the 200,000-vehicle master plan for the First Automobile Manufacturing Plant.

★On November 16, 1984, Shanghai Yichu Motorcycle Co., Ltd., a joint venture between Shanghai Tractor Motor Company and Thailand Chia Tai Group Hong Kong Yichu Investment Co., Ltd., was established.

★In March 1985, Shanghai Volkswagen Co., Ltd., a joint venture between China and Germany, was formally established. Chairman Qiu Ke and General Manager Zhang Changmou. In September, the company officially opened.

★In March 1985, Nanjing Automobile Industry Co., Ltd. and Iveco Italy signed a license transfer and technical assistance contract for the introduction of S series light-duty vehicles from Fiat Group Iveco in Nanjing.

★In March 1985, the state approved the establishment of joint ventures between Guangzhou Automobile Plant, China International Trust and Investment Corporation, PSA, BNP Paribas, and International Finance Corporation, and signed the contract on the 15th.

★On May 25, 1985, the China Automotive Technology and Research Center, a scientific research unit directly under China Automobile Corporation, started construction.

★In September 1985, China National Automobile Industry Corporation formed a new leadership team, with Li Gang as chairman and Chen Zutao as general manager and party secretary.

★The first Beijing BJ2021 car rolled off the production line. The Cherokee Automobile, a Sino-US joint venture, was put into production.

★In March 1986, Tianjin Automobile Industry Company signed the technology license transfer contract for the introduction of the Japanese Daihatsu Xiali car in Tianjin.

★In September 1986, the Sino-French joint venture Guangzhou Peugeot Automobile Co., Ltd. was put into production.

★In May 1987, the State Council issued a document to abolish China Automobile Industry Corporation and form the China Automobile Industry Federation. The China Automobile Industry Federation was established in Beijing on June 25, with Chen Zutao as the chairman of the board.

★In July 1987, FAW and Chrysler Motors of the United States held a signing ceremony in the Great Hall of the People on the introduction of light engine agreements.

★In August 1987, the Beidaihe meeting of the State Council discussed the issue of the car industry and determined the three car production bases of FAW, Second Automobile and Shanghai.

★In October 1987, my country's first high-speed automobile test track was completed at the Hainan Automobile Test Station.

★In November 1987, China Jialing Industry Co., Ltd. (Group) was established.

★On May 3, 1988, Jinbei Automobile Co., Ltd. was established in Shenyang.

★On September 27, 1988, China North Industries (Group) Corporation and German Daimler Benz signed a heavy-duty vehicle production license transfer contract in Beijing.

★In October 1988, the domestic longest (871 meters) sedan assembly line with computer control and a daily production capacity of 200 cars was completed in Shanghai Volkswagen.

★In June 1989, the first domestically produced Star-Steyr heavy-duty truck rolled off the assembly line at the Jiqi Automobile General Plant.

★In August 1989, FAW's new car assembly line assembled the first batch of Audi cars.

★On January 23, 1990, the State Council approved the Ministry of Machinery and Electronics Industry's "Request for the Establishment of China National Automobile Industry Corporation", agreeing to form China National Automotive Industry Corporation, which will be managed by the Ministry of Machinery and Electronics Industry. And implement a separate list in the national plan; the Ministry of Machinery and Electronics Industry authorizes China National Automobile Industry Corporation to exercise management functions in the automobile industry.

★On January 26, 1990, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation was established.