Chery’s full takeover of a Nissan factory in South Africa sends a signal: China’s auto exports could top 10 million units and reach 2.5 times Japan’s level.
The move shows how Chinese carmakers are not just shipping vehicles abroad but acquiring and operating foreign production assets, a step change in globalisation. For European supply chains and competitors, a Chinese OEM running a legacy Japanese plant in Africa reshapes how low-cost, China-built components and platforms reach new markets.
The backdrop is a Chinese auto-export machine still accelerating. With overseas capacity and brand channels expanding, Chery’s action points to a strategy of localising production close to demand rather than relying only on exports from China. It also reflects the pressure on legacy Japanese carmakers, whose African footprint is being absorbed by Chinese capital and manufacturing know-how.
For the European market, the lesson is direct: Chinese carmakers are building global manufacturing and distribution networks, not just sending finished cars. The same playbook, joint ventures and local plants, is unfolding from South America to Africa to Europe.
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Editor’s note: This is an adapted translation of the original Shenzhen News report. It has been trimmed and restructured for readability for an international business audience.