Against a backdrop of growing demand, China is increasing its exports of heavy-duty vehicles to Central Asian countries, CGTN reports.
The Chinese province of Shaanxi is a national center for the production of electric vehicles and heavy trucks. SHACMAN, a company that has been producing trucks in Shaanxi for over 50 years, is widely in demand in Central Asia. It has been exporting trucks to Kazakhstan and other countries along the Belt and Road for over a decade. According to estimates, the company held a 43% share of the Central Asian heavy truck market in 2022, and that share is growing steadily.
The company welcome such trends. Moreover, thanks to modern technologies, it takes only six minutes to assemble one truck.
Hui Xiang, Brand Manager of the marketing department of Shaanxi Heavy Duty Automobile Import and Export, said, “As of August this year, exports of SHACMAN heavy trucks have improved significantly compared to previous years. Two years ago, we exported 20,000 trucks. In 2022, we exported 35,000 trucks. And this year, we have already exported over 40,000 trucks. Exports this year have increased by 80% compared to the same period last year.”
According to official estimates, trade turnover between China and the five Central Asian countries reached US$70 billion in 2022. Truck deliveries make a significant contribution to this amount.
“Our strategies differ in different Central Asian countries because the situation and requirements are different everywhere,” Xiang said.
“That’s why we produce different models for different countries. We call it the ‘One Country, One Truck Model’ approach. For example, it’s colder in Central Asia, so we made trucks with heating systems. The territory of Uzbekistan is not that big, so we have designed and manufactured a lot of trucks for short-distance trips for them. Large-scale projects are being implemented in Tajikistan, so we have supplied equipment there for transporting especially heavy loads.”
Experts say that there is high potential for export growth within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, which is deepening the partnership between China and Central Asian countries. In addition to trucks and electric vehicles, there are also great opportunities for cooperation in the field of solar energy. ///nCa, 26 September 2023
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