Interview: Bosch's success in China rooted in close partnership -- executive

Visitors look at models of on-board electronic devices displayed at the Bosch booth at the 20th Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition in east China's Shanghai, April 18, 2023.(Xinhua/Fang Zhe)

For Bosch, China is very important not only because it is the biggest auto market, but a driver of technological innovation.

STUTTGART, Germany, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Close partnership has always been the bedrock of big successes in China for Bosch, a leading German engineering and technology company, said a senior executive with the company.

It has always been Bosch's strategy to cooperate, which is the reason why the company has been successful, Thomas Pauer, president of Bosch's Powertrain Solutions division told Xinhua in a recent interview.

"We always do this together with others and with Chinese local companies. And that makes us up to now quite successful. And we hope to do so as well in the future," he said.

Thanks to "great partners" and support from the Chinese government, the company's business in China is "well on track," Pauer noted.

The readiness of the Chinese people to overcome whatever challenges emerging has deeply impressed Pauer.

"If there is a challenge coming up, we are able to overcome this together in a very cooperative way. And that is what I like very much on China, because this is in the mindset of everyone."

People visit the 20th Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition in Shanghai, east China, April 25, 2023.  (Xinhua/Wang Xiang)

Pauer took as an example the 20th Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition held in April, where the booming automotive market in China was on full display. "No other region has so many brands, so many companies doing automotive (business)," he said.

For Bosch, China is very important not only because it is the biggest auto market, but a driver of technological innovation, according to Pauer.

To go with the fast-growing market, Bosch has been stepping up its efforts to increase investment in China.

Pauer stressed that Bosch fully supports the Chinese market and China's automotive sector, adding that a new plant for hydrogen power modules in Chongqing is expected to open this year to further enhance production capacity.

China is already a leading market for hydrogen fuel cell commercial cars, which will grow at the fastest rate in terms of volume, he noted.

On top of that, the company is also investing heavily in electro mobility for setting up additional production lines for e-motors and e-Axles for the Chinese market.

Pauer considers the technical approach adopted by China in promoting environmentally-friendly vehicles "well balanced" and smart. To him, the new-energy vehicles supported by government policies cover a wider range of vehicles than some other countries, which focus merely on battery electric vehicles.

He said that Bosch looks forward to keeping on moving forward with partners in China, which offers opportunities to grow on a scale unmatched by any other market.