China's auto parts industry's import and export situation and countermeasures


In 2003, due to the further reduction of import tariffs, the import quotas for domestic auto products increased. At the same time, due to the favorable situation in the domestic auto market, the production and sales volume soared, but the domestically-manufactured components could not fully meet the diversified needs of the domestic auto market. The shortage of spare parts for vehicles and special purpose vehicles has increased the import volume of parts and components. In terms of exports, in recent years, as some overseas parts and components companies have come to China for joint ventures or wholly-owned factories to build auto parts, domestic parts and components companies have also introduced technology to develop and produce high-tech parts and components to meet domestic demand. At the same time, foreign exports are also increasing.

Import and export situation and problems

According to the data from the Ministry of Commerce, the total volume of China's auto parts imports and exports in 2003 increased by 93.04% over 2002, a record high. Of which, the import was US$6.264 billion, an increase of 111.71% over the same period of last year. The amount of imports was far greater than the amount of exports, and the trade deficit reached nearly US$3 billion. Sources of imports are mainly the United States, Germany, Japan and so on. The main types of imported auto parts are body parts and gearboxes, which together exceed 45%. Imported transmissions, airbags, injection systems and other automotive components with high technological content are mainly due to the fact that the output of these products has not reached a certain scale and the production cost remains high. They can only rely on imports to meet the needs of assembly and maintenance. In addition, the technical level of these products has not yet reached the requirements.

In 2003, China exported 3.252 billion U.S. dollars of auto parts, an increase of 32.1%, and exported more than 100 countries. From January to February this year, China’s auto parts exports reached US$870 million, a year-on-year increase of 39.9%.

From the statistics, we can see that in recent years, the export of auto parts in China has become the main force for the export of auto products. The export value of auto parts is much higher than that of whole vehicles and complete machines; the products with labor-intensive and medium-low technology content At the same time, the export of high-tech parts and components also has certain development; the developed countries and auto-producing countries have become major exporters of major components in China. Asia, North America, and Europe are the three major markets for China’s auto parts exports. At the same time, the development of some emerging markets such as the Middle East, South America, and Africa has also achieved results; the establishment of foreign companies and the acquisition of foreign companies have emerged. . For example, Wanxiang Qianchao acquired US GBC (mainly supplying universal joints); the export of joint ventures and foreign-funded enterprises became one of the main export forces.

Among the export products, mainly automotive tires, electronic instrumentation, brakes, wheels, shock absorbers, etc., the five together accounted for more than 65% of the total export ratio. A number of products such as automotive electronics, brakes, aluminum wheels, automotive wiring harnesses, constant velocity joints, brake pads, etc., have occupied an important position in the world.

However, the following problems still exist in the export of parts and components:

Some parts and components products have a price advantage in the international market, but there is still a big gap between the quality of products and the world's advanced level. Some products have insufficient quality control capabilities, lack of product development capabilities, and lack of experience in mass production, leading to poor export product quality.

Most companies have begun to attach importance to the international market. However, due to the booming domestic auto market in recent years, some component companies have only ignored the domestic market and neglected the development of the international market, resulting in the share of China’s auto parts exports in the world’s auto and parts markets. Very small.

The spare parts manufacturers are low in export, and the export product structure is irrational. China's auto and auto parts export products are mainly labor-intensive products. High-tech products and high value-added products have a very small export volume. China's current electronically-controlled auto parts products, such as EFI engines, are core components of foreign countries. Solely-funded or joint-venture manufacturing matching, the main purpose of these foreign-funded enterprises in China's production is only to meet China's domestic needs. The majority of domestic parts and components companies have their own unreasonable structure, but their scale is small, but they have a complete range of technology, low level of specialization, and low proportion of electronic products with high technological content and high efficiency, making the export of some high-tech products smaller. .

Suggestions

First of all, on the basis of analyzing the competitiveness of China's major auto parts products, it is necessary to subdivide parts and components, and then classify and define the development goals, and give priority to competitive products and production companies.

The former State Economic and Trade Commission once carried out a quantitative analysis of the competitiveness of 60 kinds of auto key parts and components and divided it into three categories: the first category is highly competitive component products, and the second category is component products that are competitive with foreign countries. The third category is component products that are currently weakly competitive. It is recommended that the first category of products should adhere to the principle of assisting the superior and the strong, and give full play to comparative advantages, realize large-scale production, further increase market share, and actively expand exports to enter the global supporting system. The low-grade and simple-processed products in these products are competitive because of the extremely fierce competition in costs. Domestic state-owned enterprises have been unable to afford them. Most of them are produced by private enterprises and individual enterprises. Therefore, key component companies should be gradually transferred out. Although the second type of parts and components is not yet competitive, it should speed up cooperation with foreign parts and components companies and enter the international supporting system as soon as possible while satisfying domestic matching needs. The third type of products with weaker competitiveness currently, because most of them are high-tech products that have just started, have large investment and high risks, and are currently unable to compete with foreign countries, but they must gradually develop through joint ventures, the introduction of technologies, or the joint research of organizations.

Second, it is necessary to study the establishment of a tiered system of parts and components, and encourage different enterprises to develop in large and small and special directions according to their own different characteristics and advantages.

The foreign spare parts industry giant has developed into a system supplier and monopolized the OEM supporting market of the multinational automotive group. There is no such enterprise in the country and it is difficult to form in the short term. Therefore, it should be first developed in China to provide system integration for domestic vehicle manufacturers. The spare parts group also develops second-tier matching capabilities for the international community. According to specialization and division of labor, vigorously develop domestic second- and third-tier parts and components enterprises. To gradually form a relatively concentrated production capacity, that is, one or two factories took one or two parts of the national market, that is, small and specialized.

Third, encourage enterprises to implement the strategy of going global, support the reorganization of parts and components companies, accelerate the adjustment of industrial structure, cultivate a group of key enterprises, and create their own brands.

The state should issue a unified special policy to support the development of auto parts exports, encourage domestic parts and components companies to set up branches abroad, and strive to open up the international market. The state can also support those auto parts manufacturers that have passed international certification, depending on the size of their exports to give a certain degree of preferential treatment.

Fourth, strengthen technological development and promote technological innovation. In order to meet the requirements of simultaneous development of automobiles and components and system development, and to meet the requirements of automotive electronics, information, and networking technologies, auto parts companies must increase investment in product development funds and improve their ability to independently innovate components. The development of parts and components is really part of the development of the entire vehicle, and it will achieve common development with the vehicle manufacturer.