On July 11, 2018 Fortune Global Tech Forum Press Conference was held in Guangzhou. The event had a number of attendees, including Wang Dong, Deputy Mayor of People’s Government of Guangzhou City, Zhang Jianhua, Deputy Secretary General, Wang Guilin, Director of Science and Technology Innovation Committee, Alan Murray, President of Fortune magazine and Chief Content Officer of Meredith Group Times, John Needham, Managing Director of Fortune Global Forum, Zeng Qinghong, chairman of GAC, Feng Xingya, president of GAC and Zhang Qingsong, vice president of GAC.

Clay Chandler, Executive Editor-in-Chief of Fortune International and Co-Chair of Fortune Global Tech Forum

　　Fortune’s Brainstorm Tech was renamed “Fortune Global Tech Forum” (“Tech Forum”), marking the further expansion of the event and its influence. Following the cooperation with 2017 Guangzhou Fortune Global Forum and 2017 Fortune’s Brainstorm Tech, GAC once again became the presenting partner of this Tech Forum, providing the only officially designated vehicle for the event, and prize cars for winners of “Fortune China Innovation Award”.

Zeng Qinghong, Chairman of GAC (Right)

　　This Tech Forum, under the theme of “Innovation in the Age of AI”, will be held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Guangzhou from November 29 to 30, 2018. In addition to Zeng Qinghong, the event will involve a number of other attendees, including executes of Fortune Global 500 and representatives of emerging companies, such as Kai-fu Lee, Founder of Sinovation Ventures, Shen Nanpeng, Founding Managing Partner of Sequoia Capital China Fund, Chen Xinying, Deputy CEO of Ping An Insurance Group, and Tong Shihao, Managing Partner of Jiyuan Capital. During the event, they will discuss how to make breakthrough innovations in areas such as artificial intelligence, social media, biotechnology, financial technology, virtual reality, intelligent connected cars, and shared economy.

Feng Xingya, President of GAC

　　“Fortune China Innovation Award” will also be presented during this Forum, which aims to recognize Chinese small and medium startups with outstanding innovations in five areas, such as mobility and medical health. Winner of the Award will be granted with a car sponsored by GAC NE.

Alan Murray, President of Fortune magazine and Chief Content Officer of Meredith Group Times

　　Alan Murray said, Guangzhou is a city that combines beauty and vitality. It has always been known for its active business and trade. By virtue of the platform of Fortune Global Tech Forum, we hope to reveal the vitality of science and technology innovation in Guangzhou and even China. The Fortune Global Forum at the end of last year was the most successful one in our history. It is a great honor to host the Fortune Global Tech Forum this year and we are pleased to cooperate with GAC again. GAC is an innovation leader. Under the leadership of Chairman Zeng Qinghong, GAC has been engaged in long-term commitment to independent research and development and innovation.

Wang Guilin, Director of Science and Technology Innovation Committee

　　Hosting Fortune Global Tech Forum will further enhance Guangzhou’s international reputation and influence, and bring positive impact to Guangdong’s development blueprint of ‘taking the lead in four areas’. Relevant GAC leader said, cooperation between GAC and Fortune Global Tech Forum will enhance the brand’s international influence and reputation and achieve further brand upgrade.

Wang Dong, Deputy Mayor of People’s Government of Guangzhou City

　　During the forum, through dialogues and exchanges with Fortune Global 500 and startups from all over the world, GAC will make innovative discussions and reflections on future mobility, intelligent manufacturing, and cutting-edge technology. GAC needs to take a leading role in the revolution of quality, efficiency and driving force, and achieving the transformation from “manufacturing to creation, speed to quality, and product to brand”. Through the international platform of Fortune Global Tech Forum, GAC will demonstrate its confidence and determination to fully support the “China’s intelligent manufacturing” to reach out.

Zhang Jianhua, Deputy Secretary General of People’s Government of Guangzhou City

　　As a local company in Guangzhou that has been listed into Fortune Global 500 for five consecutive years, GAC’s overall strength has been widely recognized by Fortune magazine and other outsiders. In 2017, GAC over-achieved its annual target for the whole year. Its vehicle production and sales exceeded 2 million units for the first time, a year-on-year increase of over 21%. The growth rate is equivalent to 7 times that of the industry level. In the first half of this year, GAC’s cumulative vehicle production and sales respectively exceeded 1 million units, achieving steady growth.

　　While achieving rapid and steady development, GAC is also actively promoting innovation-driven development. In this April, GAC won the first batch of autonomous driving test license in Chongqing. The first phase of GAC’s Industrial Park for Intelligent and Connected NEVs is expected to be completed at the end of this year. GAC New Energy “25-Hour Living Experience Center” has been opened in many cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Such new energy models as GE3 were quickly recognized by the market, and sales continued to ramp up.

Group Photo of Leaders and Guests Present

　　Talents are the core elements of innovation driven development. GAC plans to empower innovation driven development through internal training and promotion and external recruitment. This June, GAC successively went to Stuttgart, Munich and Paris to recruit overseas talents; GAC University and Party School were also unveiled at the same time. Cultivation of high-quality talents will help provide consumers with higher quality products and more satisfactory services and create more mobile life values for society.

　　GAC’s vision and mission is to become a top 100 company in the world by 2017, the 30th anniversary of the Group’s establishment and a world-class enterprise with global competitiveness by 2037, the 40th anniversary of the Group’s establishment. Based on the concept of “one focus, two principles and three transformations”, GAC continued to promote the breakthrough of “electrification, internationalization and intelligence and connectivity” through open, pragmatic and user-centered innovation practices, and accelerate transformation and upgrade towards mobile life value creator.