They started from scratch and allowed cars to enter the homes of hundreds of millions of ordinary people in China.
Today, Chinese self-branded cars are commonplace in our lives. However, did you know that if you go back in time to the 1980s, on Chang’an Avenue, you can count the cars that come and go. Out of 100 cars, you may only see 3 self-branded cars, and the rest are all imported brands. It can be seen that in the 40 years of reform and opening up, Chinese cars have undergone tremendous changes.
And behind this earth-shaking change, there is a group of people who, 40 years ago, foresaw the role of China’s automobile industry as an engine for the national economy.
Therefore, on that rainy spring night, they began to walk non-stop in order to welcome the spring of Chinese automobiles!
"It will be too late if you don’t engage in cars." At the CCTV Financial Channel’s "40 Years of Reform and Opening Up" ceremony, a sitcom recreated the efforts and perseverance of that generation of automakers.
CCTV Finance "40 Years of Reform and Opening Up" Celebration Video
Dialogue in a sitcom?
There are many debates outside now, but the development of cars is a matter of historical opportunity! There are so many countries in the world, as long as there is an automobile industry, there is no one who does not develop cars!
Minister Rao
Yes, the old Chen of FAW told me last time that he looked at so many cars running on the streets of the United States and thought about how we couldn’t build them! We must quickly let the central government understand the urgency of this matter!
Geng Zhaojie
Now everyone is very anxious. You say that an excellent technician like Kong Hui gave up the generous treatment abroad and came back to live in a shack with us. Why? Isn’t it just to build cars for the Chinese people?
Meng Shaonong
Perhaps you are unfamiliar with these characters in the play, because this scene is not a fragment from a famous literary work, but a recreation of a real past.
The name of "Minister Rao" in the play is Rao Bin, who is known as the "father of China’s automobile industry" and is the well-deserved founder of China’s automobile industry.
In order to get cars into Chinese households, Rao Bin has repeatedly submitted applications to the Party Central Committee and the State Council to vigorously develop car production. When the State Council officially launched the "Automobile Industry Industrial Policy" in 1994, it clearly stated that the state’s policy of encouraging individuals to buy cars was clearly stated. Anyone familiar with the history of China’s automobile development will understand Rao Bin’s efforts.
In the play, it was Geng Zhaojie, the former general manager, chairperson, and party secretary of FAW Group, and Meng Shaonong, the former deputy director and chief engineer of the Second Automobile Factory, who made the idea for Minister Rao.
Among them, the Kong Hui mentioned by Meng Shaonong, whose full name is Guo Konghui, "excellent technical personnel gave up the favorable treatment abroad and came back to live in a shack with us."
Their mission to build Chinese cars,
Dedicate your life’s efforts
It’s them, starting from scratch,
Let the car enter the homes of hundreds of millions of ordinary people
"Geng Zhaojie
Former General Manager, Chairperson and Party Secretary of FAW Group
Anhui Chaohu native, graduated from Harbin Institute of Technology in 1954 and entered the first automobile manufacturing plant. In 1985, he served as the sixth director of FAW, and in 1992, he served as the chairperson and general manager. He has been in charge of FAW for 14 years. He is a benchmark entrepreneur in China’s automobile industry.
From 1981 to 1987, Geng Zhaojie led FAW to complete its second venture, successfully realizing the monorail vertical conversion of old products rare in the history of the world automobile industry, rejuvenating traditional old state-owned enterprises and entering a new era of development. After the transformation, he led FAW to start its third venture – loading light vehicles and sedans. FAW was transformed from a single truck manufacturer into a modern automobile manufacturer.
In 1991, Geng Zhaojie led the establishment of a joint venture between FAW and Volkswagen, and FAW began to build a world-class car production enterprise. The successful practice of FAW-Volkswagen has led a new round of development of China’s automobile reform and opening up and joint venture cooperation. "
"Meng Shaonong (1915-1988)
Former Deputy Director and Chief Engineer of Second Automobile Factory
He received a master’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1941 and was elected as a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1980. He has held important positions in the First Automobile Factory, Shaanxi Automobile Factory and the Second Automobile Factory.
Meng Shaonong dedicated his life to the construction of the automobile industry. He is the technical founder of China’s automobile industry that cannot be surpassed, and has made significant contributions to the Chinese automobile industry. He successfully led the research and development of several generations of products of China’s No. 1 Automobile Manufacturing Plant, Shaanxi Automobile Manufacturing Plant and Dongfeng Automobile Company, and personally presided over the development of "Dongfeng" and "Hongqi" sedans, which opened up a new situation for our country to design and manufacture sedans by itself. He presided over the development of CA30 off-road vehicles, which created a precedent for the production of off-road vehicles in our country. In 1946, he taught in the Department of Mechanics of Tsinghua University and pioneered the automobile major, which made great contributions to the development of China’s automobile talents and automobile engineering education. "
"Guo Konghui
Renowned automotive design research expert, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering
Academician Guo Konghui is the leader, professor and doctoral supervisor of automotive science at Jilin University. He has profound attainments in automotive system dynamics and related fields. His research achievements in tire mechanics, automotive dynamics and human-vehicle closed-loop handling dynamics have reached the world’s advanced level.
Guo Konghui is the main pioneer and academic leader in the fields of vehicle handling stability, ride comfort, braking and driving stability and tire mechanics in the field of automotive science and technology in our country. He has achieved a large number of research results with international advanced level, won 9 national and ministerial science and technology progress awards, published more than 460 papers at home and abroad, published three monographs, and cultivated a large number of senior technical talents, making important contributions to the development of automotive industry science and technology in our country. "
"40 Years of Reform and Opening Up · Tribute to Chinese Auto Characters" Ceremony · Tribute to Temperament: Mission
Tribute Character: Geng Zhaojie
He is an important representative of the "secondary entrepreneurship" of China’s automobile industry, leading all FAW employees to work hard to complete the vertical transformation of Jiefang trucks, ending the 30-year history of Jiefang trucks.
With a far-sighted strategic vision, he founded FAW-Volkswagen and introduced Jetta products, making FAW-Volkswagen and Jetta the most successful enterprises and the best-selling products in China’s automobile import joint venture.
In the era of reform and opening up and great changes in concepts, he was brave enough to try, innovative, and skilled in practice, leading all FAW employees to continue to write the glory of FAW.
Tribute character: Meng Shaonong
He is the founder of China’s automotive technology, starting from scratch and drawing the drawings of China’s first car on white paper, cultivating the first generation of automotive talents for China.
He is a driving force in China’s automotive industry. When he started, there was no road ahead. He was willing to be the one behind him, not turning around, but moving forward, allowing countless descendants to follow in his footsteps and move forward with their heads held high!
Tribute Character: Guo Konghui
He was born into wealth, but he had the motherland in mind and the world in mind. He resolutely gave up the superior life overseas and devoted himself to the construction of the hot motherland. He has a deep academic foundation and profound attainments, and is one of the pioneers of China’s automobile theory research.
He is the pioneer and founder of Chinese automobile handling stability theory and tire mechanics. He has made important contributions to the basic research of China’s automobile industry.
At 21:15 on the evening of July 8th, CCTV Financial Channel will present a major event – "40 Years of Reform and Opening Up ? Tribute to Chinese Auto Figures". Let’s pay tribute to the people who have made great contributions in the automotive industry!
Source: CCTV Finance