Recently, SAIC-GM-Wuling has made a significant high-level personnel change. Han Dehong, previously serving as Deputy Party Secretary and Deputy General Manager, has officially taken over from Yao Zuoping as the company's Party Secretary, while retaining his position as Deputy General Manager. This 44-year-old executive, born in the 1980s, has made a significant leap from 'Deputy Secretary' to 'Secretary'.

In this reshuffle, Yao Zuoping has stepped down to a secondary position. Born in May 1964 and now 62 years old, Yao has surpassed the mandatory retirement age. After the adjustment, he became the General Manager Advisor of SAIC-GM-Wuling and Director of the Technical Committee for the Intelligent Island Manufacturing System, gradually transitioning towards retirement and no longer handling operational matters.

Notably, Han Dehong has been with SAIC-GM-Wuling for over two decades and is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in overseas expansion. According to his resume, Han joined SAIC-GM-Wuling in 2005 and was dispatched to India around 2010 as the Assistant General Manager of the Indian joint venture, where he participated in the development of the Indian market. His immediate supervisor at the time was Yao Zuoping.

Upon returning to China, Han served successively as Director of Administration and Public Relations and Deputy General Manager of the Sales Company at SAIC-GM-Wuling. In June 2016, at the age of 34, he was promoted to Deputy General Manager of the Sales Company. Following the launch of the New Baojun brand in 2019, he transitioned to become Deputy General Manager of New Baojun Sales and Director of Brand Communication, gaining rich experience in brand building.

In 2021, Han Dehong once again took on an overseas role, serving as Assistant General Manager of SAIC-GM-Wuling's Indonesia branch and later being promoted to Deputy General Manager of Wuling Motors Indonesia. This experience further strengthened his management capabilities in overseas markets. After returning to the headquarters, he served as Deputy Party Secretary and Assistant to the General Manager, and starting from September 2024, he has been making public appearances as Deputy General Manager.

Against the backdrop of China's automotive industry, the significance of this personnel change is evident. As the domestic market becomes increasingly competitive and automakers view overseas expansion as a "second growth curve," appointing a young leader with extensive overseas market experience to a core role is undoubtedly a crucial strategic move by SAIC-GM-Wuling for its next phase of transformation.

China's automotive industry is experiencing an unprecedented wave of overseas expansion. According to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, China's automobile exports reached 1.01 million units in August 2026, marking a year-on-year increase of 65.3%. This is the third consecutive month that China's automobile exports have exceeded 1 million units. Cui Dongshu, Secretary-General of the China Passenger Car Association, predicts that annual automobile exports in 2026 could reach 11.5 to 12 million units.

More notably, new energy vehicles have become the dominant force in exports, accounting for over 50% of exports for three consecutive months. This signifies that the globalization of China's automotive industry is no longer based on the primary model of "low-price, high-volume" exports but is instead a high-quality expansion centered on technology, branding, and intelligent capabilities.

However, the path to overseas expansion is not without challenges. The "Guidelines on Overseas Competition Behavior and Compliance Construction in the Automotive Industry," jointly released by the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the State Administration for Market Regulation, explicitly points out that some Chinese automakers face risks of disordered competition in overseas markets. Simply replicating the logic of domestic price competition overseas not only undermines their own brand value but also lowers the global market's overall perception of Chinese automobiles. This serves as a reminder that true globalization capabilities are far more complex and challenging than simply increasing export volume.

Amid this wave of overseas expansion, SAIC-GM-Wuling has distinguished itself. As of August 2026, the company's cumulative overseas sales have officially surpassed 1.6 million units, with products sold in over 110 countries and regions worldwide. From January to August this year, Wuling's exports exceeded 30,000 units per month for five consecutive months, with overseas business becoming a significant growth engine for the brand.

Currently, China's automotive overseas expansion is upgrading from "product export" to "brand export," transitioning from simple trade exports to localized operations. SAIC-GM-Wuling's overseas strategy is undergoing a similar transformation. Leveraging its "Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand" integration strategy and three-brand channel layout, the company is accelerating its transition from "product export" to "brand export."

At this critical juncture, Han Dehong's diverse experience in sales, branding, and overseas markets, combined with his grassroots background, makes him the ideal candidate to drive this strategic transformation. His deep understanding of overseas markets will help the company better navigate complex challenges such as tariffs, compliance, localization, and supply chain security in the globalization process.

From a broader perspective, SAIC-GM-Wuling's personnel change also reflects the company's emphasis on and cultivation of young management talent. Han Dehong's rise from a grassroots employee to Party Secretary embodies both his personal capabilities and the company's strategic layout in talent development.

Overseas expansion is a marathon, not a sprint. The challenges facing Han Dehong and his team are just beginning. However, at least from a personnel standpoint, SAIC-GM-Wuling appears well-prepared for this long journey.

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