Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

From April 23 to May 2, the 21st International Automobile Industry Exhibition, or Auto Shanghai 2025, is being held in Shanghai on a record-breaking scale. With over 100 world premieres expected and a strong presence of intelligent technologies, the event will not only showcase automotive innovation and cutting-edge technologies from the global auto industry, but will also highlight China's growing global "magnet effect."

Under the theme "Embracing Innovation, Empowering the Future," the exhibition spans over 360,000 square meters and brings together nearly 1,000 leading Chinese and international companies from 26 countries and regions. "More and more global automakers are choosing to debut their latest models in China because it is not only the world's largest automobile market, but also the most dynamic and competitive arena for cutting-edge technologies," Cui Dongshu, secretary general of the China Passenger Car Association, told the Global Times. 

With its massive market scale, comprehensive industrial chain and mature technological ecosystem, China offers a fertile ground for innovation. As China's automotive sector accelerates its transition toward new energy and intelligent technologies, leading global companies are increasingly viewing the Chinese market as a proving ground to sharpen their competitive edge. Here, they refine their technologies and optimize configurations before rolling out these innovations globally.

New energy and intelligent technologies are among the biggest highlights of this year's show. From powertrain revolutions to advances in intelligent cockpits and driver-assistance systems, Chinese carmakers are making a leap from electrification to smart mobility. 

"China's auto industry has progressed from following to keeping pace, and is now taking the lead in key areas," said Cui. The integration of cutting-edge technologies such as AI and big data into smart vehicles has become a new focal point of global innovation. Since February, Chinese automakers like BYD, Geely, Great Wall and Chery have been integrating the DeepSeek large model to accelerate the deployment of advanced driver-assistance systems. 

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Auto Shanghai. Over the past four decades, the show has evolved in parallel with China's auto industry, bearing witness to its remarkable ascent. China has ranked first globally in auto production and sales for 16 consecutive years, and has led the world in new energy vehicle production and sales for 10 years in a row. Auto Shanghai is not only a competitive arena for automakers, but also a vital platform for China, as a major automotive power, and for Shanghai, as a key industrial hub, to keep pace with and lead global technological trends.

Just ahead of the exhibition, China marked another milestone in its opening-up of the auto sector. On Tuesday, the Shanghai municipal government signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Toyota, under which the company will establish a wholly owned electric vehicle plant in the city. Following Tesla's entry, this marks another world-class new energy vehicle project landing in China - a strong testament to the appeal of the Chinese market. It also reflects the effectiveness of China's ongoing efforts to advance high-level opening-up and foster a fair, transparent and predictable business environment.

As many traditional A-level auto shows in Europe and the US have either scaled down or been suspended, Auto Shanghai is stepping into a leadership role among global auto exhibitions - fostering international exchange and promoting open, win-win cooperation across the industry. As the global automotive industry shifts eastward, China will continue to leverage its strong industrial foundation and ongoing institutional innovation to embrace technological transformation, connect with global resources, and steadily advance toward a new stage of high-level opening-up.